The Tragedy of Waluigi and Rosalina
by Topcard
Summary: After the arresting of Waluigi, Princess Rosalina finds herself growing more and more curious over the criminal. Meanwhile, Bowser and his team of baddies are preparing for revenge. Will good prevail? Full of action, comedy, and, surprisingly, very little romance. Final Chapter Posted!
1. Chapter 1

It was a time for celebration. Mario, the all-star hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, had just saved Princess Peach from the evil clutches of Bowser, the Koopa King, yet again. The major factor this time, however, was the help of a new ally, Princess Rosalina. A mysterious beauty, Rosalina was platinum-blonde and had eyes that radiated with innocence. She was also capable of powerful magic incomprehensible to the human mind. Without her guidance, Peach would still be Bowser's prisoner.

But this occasion wasn't about the what-ifs, it was a time for rejoicing. Rosalina brought the Observatory down to the kingdom just for this party. Yes, it was she who was the host. And the Observatory never looked so festive. A large fountain rested in the center of the room and tables were covered with food, a giant cake catching everyone's eye.

Amongst those in attendance were the Mario brothers, Princesses Peach and Daisy, the Toads, Toadsworth, and many others. Those not in attendance, as you may have guessed, were those who supported the Koopa King. The guests were conversing when they heard a _tap!tap!tap!_ from Rosalina's glass. "Your attention, please," she said in soft monotone. "As you all know, we are gathered here today to celebrate a grand victory. Once again the forces of evil were stopped by two very brave brothers. So please join me in congratulating the Mario brothers."

The room went in an uproar as Mario and Luigi walked to the small stage where Rosalina was standing. They hopped on and waved to everyone. Mario was confident; never once had he experienced stage fright. Luigi, on the other hand, seemed nervous. He wasn't even sure if he actually did anything to help save Peach. The crowd didn't care, though. They loved both brothers.

Then when the applause rested, a slow, cold clap began. All turned their heads in the direction of the noise. There, standing at the main door, was Bowser, dressed in his finest.

"Bravo. You really got me this time," he chuckled ominously. "I know _I've learned my lesson. Next time, I won't go for Peach. I'll go for ALL of you."_

_And with that, he slammed the door shut. The crowd panicked. They tried to go out a large window, but a short, fat man blocked their way. "Where do you think you're going?" Wario croaked. The group tried the other three windows, but were stopped by Bowser Jr., Waluigi, and a redheaded woman._

"_Don't think so!" Mona cheered. "Mona, you're evil?" Toad asked. "Meh. Those other jobs don't pay well," she replied lamely. "Now then," Bowser continued, "you are all now my slaves!"_

_He laughed horribly before noticing Rosalina. "My, my. I've never seen you before. Pray-tell, who are you?"_

"_I am Princess Rosalina, your worst nightmare," she answered calmly. She then pulled out her magic wand from her sleeve. She waved it rhythmically, her eyes glowing with pure power. Bowser was instantly lifted off the ground. "Hey! Put me down! Koopas weren't meant to fly. It's UNNATURAL!" he pleaded._

_Side Note: Miles away, a single tear rolled down the cheek of a lone Koopa Paratroopa._

_Back to the story. "Very well," Rosalina said before launching her victim into Wario. "I don't get paid enough for this," the chubby man groaned as Bowser stood up._

"_Leave this place, or suffer the consequences," Rosalina warned. For a moment, Bowser looked as if her was going to comply, but the moment passed. He lunged for the tall princess, but the Mario Bros. stepped in front of him, fireballs in hand. The crowd gained confidence and soon surrounded the Koopa King. He was defeated._

_Of course, Bowser always had a trick up his sleeve. He smiled before pulling out a remote. He pushed a button and in no time his escape pod came crashing through the window. Guests ducked away from the falling glass. The pod landed right in front of Bowser. "It's been fun, but now I have to run!" he laughed._

_As Bowser got into his pod, his assistants hurried to join him. Mona and Bowser Jr. got in safe; Wario went in with a thud. All that was left was Waluigi, who was surrounded by angry Toads. "Out of the way!" he snarled as he leapt over their heads. He continued this ballet of an escape all across the room. Rosalina watched with curiosity. Never before had she seen such grace. Soon the two were face-to-face. "See ya, toots!" Waluigi said before jumping over her without even a running start. But even after all this, he was too late._

_The pod was starting to leave. "Wah! Wait for Waluigi!" he screamed. He clutched onto the pod just as it blasted off. Waluigi dangled on the side like a rag doll, watching the ground get further and further away. "Stop! Let me in!" he begged of Bowser, who extended his hand for the man. Waluigi tried to reach, but the pod took a sharp turn, causing him to slip. He would've fallen to certain death if he hadn't quickly grabbed a thick wire near the bottom of the pod. Unfortunately, the wire snapped. "DANGER. MALFUNCTION." flashed on the control screen. The pod halted. "Uh-oh," Bowser said right before his pod spiraled out of control. It flew in wild patterns, Waluigig holding the loose wire for dear life. The villains screamed in true fear. It was a carnival ride gone horribly wrong!_

_The pod crashed back into the party. It bashed into walls, crashed into tables, and even knocked Mario into the fountain. With one last burst of smoke, the villains went skyrocketing far away. All except Waluigi, who fell headfirst into the cake. Two of Peach's royal guards lifted him out. The foe looked all around at the angry glares he was receiving. He chuckled nervously. "Um, hi?"_


	2. Chapter 2

It was the very morning after the party catastrophe. Princess Peach waited patiently on her throne, Daisy by her side. Both were very serious at the moment, not at all in a good mood. They looked forward as two guards marched in the prisoner.

Waluigi had his hands shackled in front of him. He walked slow, trying to delay the inevitable. He finally made it to the princesses and was forced by a guard to his knees. "Waluigi," Peach said. A wicked smile drew on the villain's face. "Your Highness," he returned sarcastically; "I'm glad you let me stay the night. I was in no condition to drive home."

"Show respect when addressing Princess Peach!" Daisy snapped. "Daisy! I didn't notice you there. How ya been, sweetheart?" Waluigi asked. Daisy didn't answer, but rather looked away in disgust. "Once again you have caused disturbance to the Mushroom Kingdom," Peach continued. "How do you plead?"

"Considering you saw me there… Innocent. I plead innocent."

Peach rose from her throne. "I am tired of playing these games, Waluigi!" she said in a strength that surprised even herself. "Time after time, you've caused chaos and destruction. Well, no more. I hereby sentence you to life in the dungeon!"

Waluigi couldn't believe his pointed ears. He grew angry, more so with each passing second. He was about to speak when Toad entered, carrying a tea tray. "Hiya, Princess! I got your-"

Before Toad could finish, Waluigi grabbed the small creature. "Life in the dungeon, huh? See, that doesn't work for me. And I don't think it works for your little buddy here, either," the prisoner said in calm rage. He put Toad's collar in his mouth for a moment as he reached under his hat and pulled out a Bob-omb. "OH, NO! HELP!" the mushroom man cried. All the princesses could do was stare in shock. One wrong move and their friend would be history.

"Put him down," a soft but demanding voice ordered.

All turned and saw Princess Rosalina standing at the door. Waluigi froze. He was panting from all his rage. He didn't want to cooperate, but he knew what this woman would do if he didn't. "I said put him down," Rosalina repeated. Waluigi had no choice but to listen. Toad ran off the moment his feet touched the floor again. "I need THERAPY!" he shrieked on his way out.

Waluigi still had the Bob-omb. He looked at it carefully. How easy it would have been to throw it at her. But he didn't. He just held it tight as Rosalina moved closer. "Careful, Rosalina. He's dangerous," Daisy warned. Rosalina looked at her for a moment, but was not fazed. Soon she was an arm's distance away from Waluigi. She put her hand on the Bob-omb. Delicately, she pulled it away from the villain. Waluigi slumped to the floor again. It was utterly hopeless; he'd been beat.

Then the unexpected happened. Rosalina looked at Peach. "Princess, I would like you to reconsider that sentence," she requested. "WAH?!" Waluigi yelped. The princesses were just as confused as he was. "Reconsider? Rosalina, this man is a hardened criminal!" Peach protested. "Yeah," Daisy added, "he's a deceitful, selfish, manipulative, cheating-"

"Hold on. Waluigi don't cheat. Everybody cheating but me," he clarified. The princesses, excluding Rosalina, gave him a dirty look. "I'm sorry, Rosalina, but he's just too dangerous," Peach concluded. "Well, I do not believe so," Rosalina rebutted.

"You saw what he did at the party last night!"

"He was not the cause of that, and you know it."

"Just now he tried to kill Toad!"

"He would not have gone through with it, and, again, you know it."

Peach froze. She had to admit that Rosalina's argument was fair. Seeing that the Mushroom Princess was at a loss for words, Rosalina continued. "I know I have only been here for one night, and that I do not know this man as well as you do, but I do not believe he is as dangerous as you say. A nuisance, maybe. A jerk, probably. A pest-"

"They get the point-" Waluigi interrupted.

"Right," Rosalina continued. "What I am trying to say is that this man deserves a second chance."

Peach slumped in her throne, deep in thought. "Well, what did you have in mind?" she finally asked. "I suggest one month in the dungeon, only to be allowed out to assist around the castle," Rosalina said. Peach and Daisy looked at each other, then at Waluigi, who was sitting on the floor, giving them puppy-dog eyes. It pained them both to do it, but they nodded to each other. "Alright, Rosalina, we'll take up that offer. Waluigi, I hereby revoke the old sentence in favor of this one. Dismissed," Peach ordered.

The guards lifted Waluigi to his feet and started to lead him to the dungeon. "Oh, a thousand thanks, princesses! I'll be the best prisoner slash servant you ever had. A wise decision. Trust me, you won't live to regret it," he cackled. Then he was gone. All three princesses looked to each other in concern.


	3. Chapter 3

It was dark, the only light coming from a dying torch. The air was full of a pungent odor. Rats scuttled along the floor and over fallen pipes leading to nowhere. The whole room seemed to cry out in pain. The dungeon was no place for a princess, yet one was there, approaching an ominous cell.

Rosalina looked around with a stoic expression. In her years of life, she had seen many places far worse than this. That being said, she still felt a shiver down her soul as she moved closer and closer to the cell. She finally got to it and peered in. Nothing. Rosalina saw absolutely nothing. The cell was pitch black and hauntingly quiet. There was no sign of life anywhere. Perhaps this was the wrong cell…

Then in an instant, two gloved hands lunged for the bars, causing them to shake violently.

"Lost our way, have we?" Waluigi asked, his face still in the shadows. "Not necessarily," Rosalina answered. Waluigi pulled himself into view, staring at the ground all the while. "Then to what do I owe this little visit, hmm?" he questioned. "Look at me while we are speaking," Rosalina ordered. Waluigi looked up in genuine confusion. "My mistake. I'm used to looking down at people."

"You are quite unusual," the princess said. "Flattery will get you nowhere," Waluigi returned scornfully. "I did not mean it in a bad way," Rosalina clarified. Waluigi rolled his eyes. What did this woman want with him? "Look, toots, if you came for a thank you, you're wasting your time," he said. "I did not come for that. If you think I care about your trivial pride, you are sadly mistaken," was the reply. Waluigi grunted, but said nothing else.

After a moment, Rosalina continued. "The reason I came is to have a better understanding of… What are you doing?"

Waluigi was pulling a jar out of his pocket. "What? You don't carry a jar of emergency jam?" he asked. Actually, Rosalina did in fact carry a jar of emergency jam. Don't ask why.

"You were saying?" Waluigi said, scooping out some jam with a spoon. "Oh, yes. I came to better understand your motives," Rosalina finished. The prisoner scoffed. "Better understand my motives, huh? Don't make me laugh. I love creating trouble, and that's it."

"That is never just it. There is more; I can tell."

"I call you bluff."

"You are the one lying to yourself."

"Do you hear yourself? You're full of it, princess."

"The only thing I am full of is determination."

Waluigi leaped up onto the bars like a monkey. "And that's a dangerous quality. Determination's what got me here. I wonder where it'll get you. You wanna know about me, but what about you? Tell me, princess, what's your story?"

Rosalina looked away. Her story. When was the last time anyone asked her about that? "My story is of little importance," was all she could say. Waluigi got off the bars. He reached out and grabbed Rosalina's face, turning it towards his. He hadn't noticed it earlier, but she seemed to be emanating a light that brightened the whole room. "Don't sell yourself short, toots. That's my shtick," he said. Rosalina looked into his eyes. They were full of darkness, of evil. Yet she could still see the smallest gleam of hope. She turned away as Toadsworth hobbled in. "Princess Rosalina, my dear, what on earth are you doing here? The dungeon is no place for a princess."

Told you.

"I am fine, Toadsworth. Thank you for your concern. I was just learning more about our guest here," Rosalina answered. Waluigi waved at Toadsworth. "He is hardly our guest, your Highness," the old man said. The prisoner growled at him. "Let's go," Toadsworth suggested in fear. "One moment, please," the princess said. Toadsworth nodded and hobbled away.

The villain stared devilishly at the princess. "A fun chat, Rosie," he said. He then extended his hand for her to shake. She did so without hesitation. Waluigi grinned. "We should do this more often."


	4. Chapter 4

Bowser rested heavily on his throne, deep in thought. Time after time his evil plans had been foiled. It was growing very tiresome. He needed a new plan, and fast.

"For the last time, Mona, I ain't gonna do it!"

"Oh, come on, Mistah W., just real quick."

"Ugh. Fine. But you better leave me alone after this."

"Yay!"

Wario began dancing. "This here is Mona Pizza/ Makers of the world's best eatsa./ Fresh-"

"WILL YOU TWO BE QUIET?!" Bowser snapped. "Sorry. Geez," Mona replied. The Koopa King slumped down in frustration. Why, WHY did he hire these two?

His session of self pity was thankfully cut short by Bowser Jr. "Daddy, with Waluigi gone, are we gonna hire another baddie?" the little reptile asked. Bowser pondered the idea. Another henchman? It wasn't a bad concept. "Yes. Yes, I think we will," the Koopa King answered in triumph; "But who?"

Bowser stood and began pacing. Who, indeed? "When I was little, my great grandkoop would tell me stories of magic. I never believed him, though," he narrated. "Really? You're a giant fire-breathing turtle dragon that can talk, and you didn't believe in magic?" Wario asked. Bowser gave him a dirty look. "Sorry," the fat man said weakly. "As I was saying," the reptile continued, "magic is, indeed, a powerful force. This Princess Rosalina has harnessed a strong magic beyond our understanding."

"Yeah! Remember when she threw you across the room, Daddy? Huh? Do ya?" Bowser Jr. asked eagerly. The older Koopa knelt on one knee. "Son, do you know what happened to the other Koopalings?" he asked. Junior thought a moment. "Gosh, I guess not," he said. "Well, you'll find out if you mention that again!" Bowser snarled, bearing his teeth. Junior stayed quiet from then on.

"If I may finish, what do we need to defeat this strong magic?" Bowser questioned. The three henchmen were in silence. "Well, we fight fire with fire, so we need magic to fight magic!"

At this, a symbolic light bulb appeared over Wario's head. "You need magic? Then I've got the perfect person in mind," he said with an evil smile. Mona immediately caught on, but the Koopas just stared in curiosity.

A few hours later, the group of nasty no-good-doers were waiting by a warp pipe. "Are you sure this guy's good?" Bowser asked. "Oh, sure! There's no one better," Mona answered happily. They continued waiting in silence. Bowser checked his watch. Whoever it was, they were late. Then the ground started trembling. The sky turned dark. Thunder and lightning filled the air. The Koopas grew uneasy. The warp pipe vomited black smoke. Bowser felt his knees shake. For the first time in his life, the Koopa King was scared.

A cold chill brushed past the villains. They stared into the smoke, Wario laughing all the while. Then two burning eyes pierced through the darkness. Bowser shrieked and hid in his shell. Bowser Jr. struck a fighting pose, ready for whatever was coming. The smoke cleared, and soon everyone saw who was there.

A little girl in a red dress jumped down from the pipe. In one hand she held a wooden wand, in the other a stuffed rabbit. Her eyes were ominously scarlet. "You're late, Ashley," Wario said. "I'm here, aren't I?" she returned. Bowser peeked out of his shell, then stood in disbelief. "A little girl? You kept me waiting for a little girl?!" he shouted. Ashley looked at the Koopa viciously. "Uh-oh," Mona stammered as she and Wario backed away. With one swift motion, the small child blasted Bowser with her magic wand. The king went flying and eventually crashed back into his castle.

By the time the others returned, Bowser was already waiting on his throne. "You've proven your point," he said to Ashley. The witch curtsied politely. "Now then, you will help us defeat the Marios and the one called Rosalina."

Hearing this name, Ashley sighed. "I have heard of her. Her magic is as strong as my own. Such a match-up would only destroy both sides," she explained. Bowser roared in anger. "Are you sure there's nothing you can do?" Mona asked. Ashley thought a moment. "There is one thing," she concluded. "Yes?" Bowser asked eagerly. "As is the case with most magical beings, Princess Rosalina stores all of her power in her magic wand," the witch said. "How does that help us?" Bowser questioned.

"Do I have to spell it out for you? You wanna beat Rosalina? Get. That. WAND."


	5. Chapter 5

"WALUIGI!"

The prisoner scrambled down the hall, constantly tripping over his own two feet, towards the direction of the call to action. He carried a feather duster with one hand and a spray bottle with the other. He rushed past Toads, pushing some aside if necessary, until he reached Toadsworth.

"You rang?" Waluigi asked through his panting. "The library bookcases need dusting. Chop, chop," the mushroom man ordered. Waluigi growled under his breath as Toadsworth left. To take orders from such an arrogant fungus? It wasn't fair!

Waluigi padded into the library, a little less than enthusiastic. The Royal Library, the largest source for knowledge in the entire Mushroom Kingdom. All were welcome to come and relax with a good book, as long as they followed proper conduct. The villain approached a blue Pianta sitting at a desk. "How can I… Oh, it's you," he said. Waluigi saluted in a cartoonish manner. "Here to dust your bookshelves, Govnah," he said in a horrible British accent. The Pianta rolled his eyes behind his glasses. "Get to it, then," he muttered before getting back to his work.

Waluigi grumbled to himself as he approached the first shelf. Fantasy Fiction. He raised an eyebrow. Who in their right mind would read that garbage? He shook his head before grabbing the ladder. Opinions aside, Waluigi had a job to do, and the sooner he was done, the sooner he could go back to sleep.

He climbed up the ladder for what seemed an eternity. It was a very tall case, no doubt. Waluigi raised his arm and began dusting. It wasn't all bad; this gave him time to think. For the first time, he started to wonder how he'd escape from this dump. Perhaps he would go on a Bob-omb frenzy; he did have more hidden, after all. Or maybe he could take Toad hostage and simply walk out the front door. Oh, the possibilities.

Daydreaming away, Waluigi hadn't noticed how much he was leaning on the bookcase. At least not until it started falling backwards. It crashed into the next bookcase, which in turn crashed into another bookcase. Toads scrambled to avoid the falling books as the domino effect continued. A green Noki, unaware of the surrounding danger, stood reading without a care in the world. She looked up when a large shadow covered her reading light. The shelf was dropping straight towards her. She curled up in fear. It was the end!

Then out of nowhere, the blue Pianta rushed and leaped for her. He grabbed the Noki and skidded across the floor, just barely dodging papery doom. "Are you alright?" asked the Pianta. The Noki nodded, still in shock. The Toads slowly made their way out of their hiding places. They looked around. Sawdust filled the air and the room was grey. Books were demolished, endind the world's greatest collection of reading. Years of crafting those bookcases, wasted. Crying could be heard.

At that moment, Peach and Daisy entered the library in mid-conversation. They stopped upon getting a glance at the place. Peach stood frozen, her lip trembling. Waluigi, still on the ladder, tried to avoid the cold glares. "Oops," he offered lamely. Tears rolled down Peach's cheek as she ran out. Daisy shook her head in anger. "I hope Rosalina's proud of her decision," she said to herself. Then she began to wonder where Rosalina was.

The hill was quiet, the only sound coming from leaves rustling in the wind. It was a perfect day, nice and cool. One cloud floated dreamily in the otherwise clear blue sky. A lone figure approached the hill, quiet as a mouse.

Rosalina felt the grass under her feet, letting herself become one with nature. She breathed in calmly, letting the wind carry her soul. She never had time to visit this place much, which bothered her deeply.

She made her way to the top of the hill, where she was shaded by a large tree. Under it was a cross coming out of the ground. Rosalina felt it with the tips of her fingers. She brushed a leaf off of it, being careful not to disturb the area's aura. She entered a state of deep though, reflecting on the events that led to her departure from her family. She knew it was for the best, as the Lumas needed her, but she still couldn't help but to think what if…

"H-hello?"

Rosalina turned sharply, a little surprised by the sudden appearance of another person. It was a small child, eyes full of curiosity. "Oh, hello. I did not know you were there," the princess returned. The child grinned. "I didn't mean to bother you, but you seem sad."

Rosalina looked down. It was not in her nature to show emotion, and she was pretty sure that was not different in this case. The child seemed to sense it. "Do not worry, it is nothing," she said. The child blinked twice. "Did you know this person," the kid asked, pointing to the cross. "She is my mother," Rosalina said after a long pause. "Oh, I am sorry," the child said, sounding genuinely saddened. "It is quite alright. Death is a part of life. It is an endless cycle, and I have come to terms with it," Rosalina quickly assured.

"Are you Princess Rosalina?" the kid asked, brightening up immediately. "Yes, I am," the princess said. The child giggled. "How do you know of me?" Rosalina questioned. "Are you kidding? Everyone knows you! You, who saved the Lumas from eternal lonliness," the child answered. Rosalina thought about this. Yes. Yes, she did save the Lumas. And she knew her mother would have wanted her to do it. Rosalina stood gracefully, the wind blowing her hair out of her eye. "Thank you. You have made my day," she said. "Oh, you are most welcome. Maybe we could come by here every now and then to just talk," the child offered. "I'd like that," Rosalina said. The kid smiled and began to walk away.

"By the way, I like your stuffed rabbit. I have one just like it," Rosalina said.

The girl turned to face the princess and grinned mischievously. "Trust me, you don't."


	6. Chapter 6

Waluigi paced ferociously in his cell like the caged beast he was. "Another month?! They can't add another month! And I'm not allowed to compete in the seventh annual Kart Racing Tournament?! It's inhumane!" he snarled.

"You should consider yourself lucky to be getting just that after what you did."

"Two months in this place! I'm gonna go MAD!"

Rosalina put her hand on one of the bars, appearing as calm as usual. "Barely three days on the job and you have already made a mess of things. If you want freedom so much, you should not cause trouble," she suggested. Waluigi snarled and threw his face into the light. "I already told you, it was an accident!" he insisted. Rosalina backed away a few steps. It wasn't a smart move to make a criminal angry, even if he was behind bars. And yet she couldn't help but to challenge him.

"Regardless, this action is very grave. Do you know how long it took the Royal Family to collect such a large array of books?" she asked.

"Do you?" Waluigi countered. Rosalina paused. Waluigi backed away from the bars and smirked. "Didn't think so. Who are you to lecture me when you don't even know everything, huh?"

He was right. In this land, she was no one. "Maybe I do not know everything. Maybe I am just an outsider in this world. But that does not give you the right to question my authority. I have been trying to help you, but you seem to want this attention."

"I didn't ask for your help."

"And yet you definitely need it, Waluigi. But I am tired of standing up for you. If you do not want my assistance, then I will stay out of your affairs," Rosalina replied. Her face felt hot and her hands were shaking slightly. What was this feeling? Anger? Impossible. She hadn't been angry in thousands of years. But Waluigi was so frustrating!

The villain sat on his cold, hard bed and slumped over. He remained quiet for quite a few tense moments. He then sighed and began to speak. "Go ahead, continue with the ranting. I've heard worse. Let's see. I've been called a lunatic, a coward, a failure, a creep, a pest, a jerk, a nuisance, a psycho. That's a new one. I've heard it all. So go on. Hit me with your best shot, toots."

Rosalina didn't know how to respond. How could a man go through so much self-pity and still have the strength to get up in the morning? He was something else. Something unique. "I am sorry," the princess said softly. Waluigi growled and laid down on the bed, ignoring the fact that it was still daytime. Sunlight didn't shine in the dungeon. "Whatever," he finally answered.

Rosalina felt immensely guilty. She had never, NEVER hurt another living soul in her entire life before. Now she knew the pain, the agony of it. She shook her head. "You still there?" Waluigi asked after several minutes.

"Yes," the princess answered.

"In that case, I got a favor to ask of you. Take my place in the races," the prisoner said.

"I do not think-"

"Don't think. Do. I'm sure you'll do fine."

Waluigi lifted his head slightly to see Rosalina answer. "Alright," she finally replied. Waluigi put his head back down. Rosalina waited a few moments. It was clear that Waluigi didn't want to talk anymore. She could respect that. She began to leave, her steps echoing in the darkness.

"Two thousand four hundred eighty-six."

"Excuse me?" Rosalina asked, stopping dead in her steps.

"It took two thousand four hundred eighty-six years for the Royal Family to collect all those books."

Rosalina sighed. There was so much more to this man than anyone would ever know.


	7. Chapter 7

Eyes forward. Maintain control. Focus.

Rosalina tried to remember everything. For the past two weeks, she had been training with Mario for these races. He taught her all she needed to know about the karts, from weight classes to engine repair. The plumber was happy to help; it was his little way of thanking the princess for all she had done. If all went right, Rosalina had a chance of winning.

It was astonishing how quick the audience gathered. This must've been the second biggest event of the year, behind only the Royal Ball. Nearly everyone in the kingdom was in attendance for the final race of the competition. Being a late entry, Rosalina did not get the chance to participate in the preceding races. Nonetheless, this tournament had a strange setup. This final race was for only elite racers, excluding most who already competed. Rosalina was there because of her royal background, and nothing more.

Daisy approached her friend with excitement. "I can't believe I get to be in the elite race this year! Everyone's gonna eat my dust!" she cheered. "Oh, um, except you, I'm sure."

Rosalina nodded. "Good luck," she replied. Daisy was about to say something, but the other princess seemed to have noticed something shocking. "What is it?" Daisy asked.

"What is he doing here?"

Daisy turned. There, making last-minute adjustments to his motorcycle, was a rather fat, stumpy man. "Wario? He always competes in these things," Daisy said. But Rosalina wasn't listening. Looking at the man sent a chill down her spine. "Should he not be arrested?" she asked. Daisy shook her head. "Nah, these competitions ignore all crimes. Personally, I think it's a lousy rule, but Peach says everyone should be allowed to have fun. Except Waluigi, of course."

"Right," Rosalina said halfheartedly before Daisy got back to her kart. This didn't seem right. This man had just as much fault in the party incident as Waluigi, yet he was free to do as he pleased. Where was the sense in it? The whole thing was so unjust…

"Hi!"

Rosalina snapped back into reality by the familiar voice. She looked down and saw the little girl she had met weeks ago. "Oh, hello again," she greeted. The girl smiled, clutching her stuffed rabbit tightly. "I just wanted to wish you good luck, princess," she said. Rosalina extended her hand for the girl to shake. The girl had to stand on her toes just to reach.

"Thank you," the princess said. In the weeks since the two had met, Rosalina and the girl made time to meet at the hill to discuss current matters. For some reason, though, the girl seemed to have some fascination with the Lumas' shape-shifting abilities. Rosalina was more than pleased to answer any questions the child had, no matter how strange. Knowledge was a precious gift meant to be spread to future generations.

`"I'm gonna take a seat now. Again, good luck," the girl said. Rosalina thanked her again and got back to work. But when she did, she noticed another weird sight. The little girl and Wario were talking to each other. What could they possibly have to talk about? She was probably wishing him good luck. She was nice like that.

A Lakitu floated above the competitors. "Is everyone ready?" he asked. All the racers nodded. The Lakitu rushed to his spot to hold the starting lights. "RACERS, PLEASE BEGIN TO TAKE YOUR PLACES," a booming voice called over the speakers. All got onto their respective karts and drove into position. Luigi, Toad, Wario, Daisy, Donkey Kong, Yoshi, Wiggler, and Rosalina. Quite a bunch for an elite race, isn't it?

Rosalina took her starting place in dead last. No matter. She still had as much a chance of winning as anyone else. No. She had more of a chance. All these racers were racing simply to win. She was racing to not let Waluigi down. She couldn't dare do otherwise. Her goal was clear, and her determination was strong.

The princess looked to her left at Wario. Could it be true that this… thing was related to Waluigi? "Hey, you're Rosalina, right?" the man asked.

"I am."

"You got my brother thrown into the dungeon. You'll pay for that."

"He is serving time for his actions and his actions alone. I am not to blame here."

"Oh, yes, you are. And I don't like that, or you. Trust me sweetheart, this'll be your first and last race."

Wario chortled as the princess looked forward again. She really didn't care to acknowledge idle threats. The Lakitu was floating in front of all the competitors. "RACERS, START YOUR ENGINES," the speakers ordered. The karts sparked to life, ready to fight for that oh-so-coveted top spot. The Lakitu held his right hand into the air.

Eyes forward. Maintain Control. Focus. Rosalina breathed heavily, anticipation getting to her.

3...2...1... GO!


	8. Chapter 8

The racers took off like a flash. Rosalina timed her engine charge perfectly, just as Mario trained her, and got an immediate speed boost. It was only enough, however, to get her in fifth place. She tried to speed up while maintaining control. Donkey Kong was directly in front of her. His large stature blocked Rosalina's view, leaving her to guess when to turn.

"Hey, princess!" Toad hollered as his kart pulled up next to hers. "You can't let this guy box you out. Try doin' something!"

And with that, Toad passed her up, putting her in sixth place. The road got bumpy. Rosalina's teeth chattered with every bump. A few of the other racers were doing tricks when in the air, and when they landed they seemed to get a small speed boost. Rosalina pondered the idea, then decided to go for it. She jumped up on the next bump. When the kart landed back on the ground, the princess took off like a rocket, passing the Kong easily.

"Wow. I cannot believed that worked," Rosalina said in sheer awe. "Well, the rest of the race cannot possibly get any-"

Before she could finish the sentence, something smashed into the back of her kart, making it flip 360 degrees forward. Wario passed her up, laughing with a mocking tone. Rosalina looked behind her. Remnants of a green turtle shell were lying on the road. "Where did Wario get a shell? Is he cheating?" the princess asked herself. No matter. She had to hurry and catch up.

Rosalina sped on until she reached a stone bridge. On it was a series of boxes floating in a line. Mario had never explained this before. "I cannot dodge them. I am going to crash," she said softly. Then she hit one. Something flew into her hand when she did. "What is this? A banana peel? Where did this… The box?" Rosalina seemed in such a flurry. She didn't understand any of it.

Then she heard another kart behind her. The Wiggler was coming up fast. Rosalina looked back at it, then at the peel. She decided to throw it on the ground. The Wiggler's kart drove over it, then began to spin out of control! "I stalled him. Now I understand," Rosalina said, determination showing itself in her eyes.

She drove past the bridge. The dirt road was smooth now, and she could feel her kart gaining speed. Wario was right in front of her, so close she could practically touch him. She sped on, but then her kart began slowing down. What was happening? She looked down to the ground. Rosalina's kart was stuck in mud. Just her luck! Wario rode off with a resounding "Loser!"

Rosalina slammed her foot on the acceleration pedal, forcing the vehicle out of the mud and past the first checkpoint. "Yoshi, Yoshi!" cheered Yoshi as he passed her up. Rosalina felt herself getting frustrated. The race had just started and she was already off to a lousy start!

The race hurried on. Soon Wario was right behind Daisy, who was in first place. The fat man began ramming the princess. "Hey, whaddya think you're doin'?!" she yelped. But Wario only flashed his infamous smile at her as a response. He continued ramming until they reached a cliff. Perfect. Wario slammed into Daisy's kart one last time, forcing her over the edge. Her terrible shrieks of fear were music to his ears. He continued on his way, never glancing back.

Rosalina soon made it to the same cliff. When she got there, she saw a Lakitu fishing Daisy out of the pit. "Hey, Rosalina, careful with Wario!" she warned as her friend drove off. Rosalina knew that man would be trouble, but such a move was so lowdown. Now she just couldn't let him win.

The track led her to a cave. It was dark, but her natural glow lit the way. Soon she saw a colorful light on the ground. The moment her tires touched it, the kart zoomed with top speed. "The speed tracks Mario mentioned," Rosalina confirmed to herself. She continued on her way. Soon she passed up Yoshi, taking fourth place as she exited the cave.

She took a sharp turn past a nearby pond. She looked forward. My, what a beautiful sunset. It was enchanting. Rosalina always had time to admire stars.

"Yoshi! Yoshi! YOSHI! YA-OH! SHA-EE! YOSHI, YOSHI, YOSHI! YOOOOOOSHIIIIII!" screamed Donkey Kong. He rushed past Rosalina with intense speed. She could just barely make out what appeared to be a gold mushroom in the gorilla's hand. Perfect. Back in fifth place.

Rosalina made another sharp turn past a small building and soon found herself going uphill. She hit another box, this time receiving three mushrooms. "What am I supposed to do with these?" she wondered. When her kart reached the top, she saw the second checkpoint. It was down to the last stretch.

Donkey Kong had gotten himself into a pickle. Apparently his kart couldn't handle that much power, and the engine died. He sat by the road, pouting in frustration, as Rosalina passed him. She couldn't help but feel successful. Then the ground began to shake. As she turned the corner, she came face-to-face with a giant boulder coming her way! Rosalina swerved to avoid it, nearly losing control of the kart. "That was too close," she said with a sigh of relief.

Rosalina drove down the cliff. She was glad that was over. But then she saw up ahead. A speed track led straight off the road. "This is the day I die," the princess said lamely. She drove and got the boost. She shut her eyes, but opened one when she didn't go splat. She opened both and saw she was flying. How did that happen? She looked up and saw a hang glider attached to the kart. "How convenient," she remarked with satisfaction.

The kart floated towards a floating platform, where the princess landed right in front of Luigi. Yup, bet you forgot all about poor, ol' Luigi. Rosalina hang glided back down to the ground. The finish line was right there in grasp. Wario threw something at Toad, and soon his kart was flying upwards in an explosion. "Ha! A Bob-omb never fails!" the villain gloated. He then noticed the princess approaching. "Well, I knew it would come down to us, princess," he mocked, "and I have an ace up my sleeve!"

He stopped his bike and turned it towards her. "Wario time," he growled as he pushed a button. Two cannons appeared at the sides of the motorcycle. Wario started firing Bullet Bills like a madman, laughing like one, too. Rosalina swerved from side to side, barely dodging each blast. Wario grunted in frustration. His plan wasn't working, and he wouldn't be fully satisfied until he took care of this pest. So he did what any sane person would do: drive on a head-on collision course with the princess.

Wario's bike wasn't as big as Rosalina's kart, but she knew its immense strength. She couldn't drive out of the way. It was over.

"Hey, Wario!"

Wario and Rosalina looked behind them. Daisy and Toad were coming, Daisy holding a spiny shell. Wario's moustache went limp. "Uh-oh," he quivered. Daisy threw the shell. It flew towards the chubby man and nailed him with so much force, his bike exploded. Rosalina sat there stunned, but soon remembered the race. She hurried, but Toad passed her up. Wario was also stunned, but for different reasons. He face was covered in soot and his hair had a small flame. He stood there motionless as Luigi, Yoshi, Wiggler, and Donkey Kong (pushing his kart forward manually) all passed him.

It was the home stretch. Toad was in the lead. No, Daisy passed him. Wait, Rosalina passed her. Daisy! Rosalina! Toad! Daisy! Toad! Rosalina!

The checkered flag waved. "Yipdeehoo, I won!" Toad exclaimed. Rosalina got out of her kart. Second wasn't so bad. Actually, it was pretty good for her first race ever. Daisy rushed to her and egulfed her in an embrace. "Congrats, Rosalina!" she said. "IN FIRST PLACE, IT'S TOAD! THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING!" the speakers announced. The crowd cheered as Toad did his victory dance. For a little guy, he had some funky-fresh moves.

Wario trudged past the finish line towards everyone. "Cheaters, the lot of you!" he scolded. Daisy rolled her eyes. "Get lost, Wario. Can't ya see we're celebrating?" she said. Wario seemed to grow angrier and angrier. He approached Rosalina.

"Enjoy now princess. But just remember, second place is only first loser," he said with a devilish grin.

"This coming from the man who came in dead last," Rosalina retorted. Wario's smile disappeared. His face turned red as the others laughed at him. "Whatever," he said as he trotted away.

The crowd began to leave. Soon all were gone, except a certain little girl. She stared intently with her red eyes at Rosalina. She was in a good mood now, but it could only get worse from here.


	9. Chapter 9

Toadsworth intently made his way to Waluigi's cell. "What's the matter now?" he asked a guard.

"The prisoner's sick."

"Of course he is; it's Waluigi, man!"

"No, sir, I mean he's ill."

"Oh."

The old mushroom man approached the cell cautiously. Waluigi, twice as pale as usual, was lying on the floor, shivering violently. He was holding his stomach and staring out into space, his pupils half their normal size. "My, this is peculiar," Toadsworth muttered to himself. At that moment, the royal doctor Toad arrived. "Where's the patient?" he asked.

"Right here," Toadsworth answered. The doctor got a good look at Waluigi. He put on medical gloves and reached for the villain's wrist. The doctor looked at his watch. "His pulse is irregular," he finally concluded. He then proceeded to take Waluigi's temperature. "Thirty degrees Fahrenheit," he announced. He shined a light into Waluigi's eye. "It doesn't look good," he said.

"Well, what's wrong with him?" Toadsworth asked.

"He has… Dungeon Disease."

At this, all gasped in horror. All except Waluigi, who was still shivering uncontrollably. "Can you cure him?" Toadsworth questioned. The doctor shook his head. "There's only one cure for this, and I don't have it with me," he said. Toadsworth sighed and hobbled out of the cell, deep in thought. "This may be the end for this man. Now everyone, we must remain calm. And most importantly, do not tell Rosalina-"

"Do not tell Rosalina what?"

All turned and saw the princess standing right behind them. "Oh, uh, princess! We were just, um, discussing how, um…" Toadsworth pathetically tried to answer. Rosalina pushed her way through the men and saw Waluigi on the ground. She gasped and put her hand to her mouth. "He is sick, and you did not want to tell me?" she asked. Toadsworth backed away slightly. Shame hit him like a bag of bricks.

Rosalina approached the doctor. "Can you not help?" she asked. The doctor then explained how he did not have the cure. The princess reached into her sleeve and pulled out three mushrooms. "Will these help?" she offered.

"Where did you get those?" Toadsworth asked.

"The races. I did not know what they were for, so I kept them."

The doctor quickly grabbed one. "Yes, I do believe this will help tremendously. The cure to Dungeon Disease is this mushroom!" he exclaimed. Toadsworth raised an eyebrow skeptically. "You mean to tell me you don't have mushrooms?" he asked. The doctor smiled nervously and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, well… I haven't been to the market lately, okay?" he said pathetically.

The doctor approached Waluigi with the mushroom. "Open wide," he ordered. He tried to feed Waluigi the mushroom, but the villain swatted him away, screaming like a banshee as he did. "If he won't take this, he'll only get worse," the doctor sighed. Rosalina took the mushroom back. "Let me try," she offered.

The princess approached the sick man and knelt down by his side. "Open," she said in a calm whisper. Waluigi, now sweating while shivering, shut his eyes in pain. For a second, Rosalina could've sworn he was crying. "Open," she repeated. Then, almost by a miracle, Waluigi's mouth opened slightly. Rosalina delicately fed him the mushroom. Using what little energy he had left, Waluigi chewed and eventually swallowed it. Almost instantly, the shivering stopped.

Rosalina stood and rejoined Toadsworth, the doctor, and the guards. They closed the cell and watched as Waluigi sat up. "Ugh, my head. W-what happened?" he asked in a dazed state. The others looked to each other, then Rosalina spoke. "You were sick, but you are better now," she said. Waluigi rubbed his head. "So much for better. My head is killing me," he countered.

"That shouldn't last long. It's a mere side-effect to curing Dungeon Disease," the doctor said. "But how did you get it? What have you eaten recently?"

Waluigi thought a moment. "I ate the same stuff they feed me here everyday," he answered.

"WHAT?! ARE YOU INSANE?! DON'T YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE?!" Toadsworth exclaimed. All looked at him. "Well, that slop is pretty awful," he offered.

The group began to leave. "Wait. Toadsworth, I have a favor to ask of you," Rosalina said. Toadsworth turned and looked at her. "What is it, Your Majesty?" he asked.

"Let me take Waluigi outside."

"Out of the question!"

"Listen to me, Toadsworth. He needs fresh air. If he stays in this dungeon any longer, he could get sick again."

Toadsworth furrowed his moustache in deep thought. "Fine," he finally agreed, "but if anything goes wrong, he is your responsibility."

One guard unlocked Waluigi's cell and let him out. The group left, leaving the princess and the villain alone. He looked at her in confusion as she began to exit. She stopped and turned to face him.

"Well, are you coming?"


	10. Chapter 10

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and Toad was sunbathing. It was utterly perfect… Which is exactly what Waluigi hated about it.

"WAH! The sun's too bright!" he exclaimed as he shielded his eyes with his hands. Rosalina stepped in front of him. "Waluigi," she started, "I have brought you out here for your benefit, remember that. And if you try to run-"

"Save it, toots," Waluigi interrupted. He lifted his left pants leg slightly to reveal a metal bracelet on his ankle. "They got me under surveillance ever since the library thing. If I even think about leaving, an army of guards will come."

"Oh," was all Rosalina could say. There was just something wrong about this. She shook away her thoughts for the time being. "Well?" she asked.

"Well what?"

"Well, what do you want to do?"

"You're kidding me, right?"

"I never kid."

Waluigi studied the princess for a moment, then started thinking of what he should do. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a series of small thuds. He looked in the direction of the noise. A couple of Toads were playing tennis. A wild grin grew on the villain's face. "Come on!" he bellowed before grabbing Rosalina's hand and leading her to the court. The moment he grabbed her hand, Rosalina felt something inside. She didn't know what it was, but it was definitely there.

It took some convincing, but Rosalina finally got the Toads to allow her and Waluigi to play. They were just fine with the princess, but Waluigi… They were skeptical. The teams took their sides. "What game is this?" Rosalina asked, studying her racquet. Waluigi's jaw practically dropped at the question. "What game is this?! Why, it's only the greatest game ever! Don't tell me you've never played tennis!" he shouted. Rosalina looked down and shook her head. Waluigi softened a little. "Just hit the ball to their side," he said.

"Zero all!" called the serving Toad. He hit the ball over. Waluigi immediately smacked it back to them, gaining an easy 15. "Ha! Losers!" he cheered. The Toads rolled their eyes.

The game continued on like this. Soon it was 40-30, match point. Rosalina was to serve. "Forty serving thirty," she called out. She hit the ball over, but one Toad returned it. Waluigi hit it back, but was greeted by an easy recovery. The ball went back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and… Well, you get it. Waluigi grew agitated. Why couldn't he just win for once?!

Then it happened. The ball was headed straight for Rosalina at top speed. For a moment, it looked as though the princess froze, but then she snapped into action. Her eyes started to glow as she smashed the sphere to her rivals' side, a cosmic trail following it. The Toads lunged for the ball, but it was all in vain. It hit the floor, and that was it. Rosalina and Waluigi won.

"Ha! I win!" Waluigi shouted. "I'm-a dance! I'm-a sing! I'm-a so happy!"

His celebration was cut short when Rosalina approached the Toads. "Good game," she said as she shook their hands. The Toads smiled. "Thanks, Rosalina," one said. Waluigi crossed his arms. "Yeah, whatever," he replied lamely.

Rosalina and Waluigi left the Toads to do what Toads do. The princess chose a nice resting spot under the shade of a tree. Waluigi was getting weaker. He didn't have as much energy as he thought he would. For a while, the two just sat in awkward silence.

Rosalina finally decided to end it. "It is such a nice day," she said. Waluigi grunted as a response. He was focusing on something else. Rosalina looked to where the villain was staring at and saw Luigi sitting in the Royal Garden. The plumber appeared to be trying to approach Daisy, but he wasn't able to work up the nerve. Rosalina turned her gaze back at Waluigi, who was getting angrier.

"Why do you hate Luigi?" she asked.

"You wouldn't understand."

"How will we know if you do not tell me?"

Waluigi thought a moment. "You really wanna know?" he asked. The princess nodded. Waluigi sighed before he started to explain. "That guy thinks he's got it so bad, but he doesn't know what having it bad really means. I mean, he's one of the Mushroom Kingdom's top heroes, he's got a mansion, he's smart, and he has the NERVE to think he's worthless? I got it ten times worse, toots, but no one sympathizes with me. They all just look down on me!"

A pause. "So what you are saying is that you are jealous?" Rosalina asked.

"I am not."

"It is alright to be jealous now and then."

"I said I'm NOT jealous!"

"Well, if it means anything to you, I do not look down on you."

Waluigi blinked twice. "You don't?" he asked with strong confusion. Rosalina shook her head in response. "Oh," was all the villain could say. He laid down in the grass after that, a bit embarrassed for revealing his problems.

Rosalina looked at him. He was a different man on the inside than what he wanted everyone to know about. Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed a giant warp pipe. "What is that?" she questioned. Waluigi lifted his head to see the pipe. "That? That's the InfiniPipe. Stay away from it," he answered.

"Why?"

"Things go in that pipe, but nothing comes back."

"Where do they go?"

"Exactly."

The princess let the conversation drop there. She didn't feel like discussing the matter any further. All she wanted to do was enjoy a quiet evening on such a beautiful day.


	11. Chapter 11

It was a good plan. It was a very good plan. In fact, it was a GREAT plan. It's too bad it was made for dark purposes.

Bowser studied his blueprints with meticulous care. Everything had to be perfect or the plan would fail. He put the papers down and grinned evilly. Yes, everything was in order. The Koopa King took pride in his devilish work.

He made his way to another room, where his lackeys were impatiently waiting. Bowser Jr. was dancing in the corner. There was no music, but he felt the need to move around. Ashley was sitting on the ground, deep in thought. Wario slumped in a chair, Mona comforting him.

"There, there, Mistah W. I know you shoulda won that race."

"While that is true, Mona, I don't need you to remind me of my failure."

"Oh, Mistah W., you're such a joker!"

Bowser was more than happy to interrupt this pathetic group. "Alright, the plan's complete," he announced. The villains swarmed to their leader. They eyed the papers intently. Wario began laughing with confidence. "There's no way this can fail!" he exclaimed, striking a victory pose. The rest of the group agreed, except Ashley, who just continued to stare at the blueprints.

"Oh, yes, this is my best plan to date!" Bowser gloated; "But we are still missing one factor."

"The wand," Ashley replied.

"Exactly. Without it, that goodie-goodie star princess can very easily defeat us. I will now be accepting volunteers to infiltrate Toadstool Castle and take the wand by force. Whoever wants to do it, take one step forward."

At this, all except Wario took one step back. "Wario, my boy! You are a brave one," Bowser congratulated. The man's eyes bulged as he went into a panick. "Wha-? M-m-me?! I ain't goin' in that castle, charcoal breath! You can just forget it!"

Bowser growled. He gave Wario the death eye, but it didn't have any effect. The fat man crossed his arms, standing his ground. "Fine!" the Koopa King finally said. He began pacing. Someone had to get that wand; their fate depended on it. Wario wasn't going to do it. Ashley already made her case in the matter. Junior wasn't ready for such a big task. And they couldn't afford to lose Mona; her endless supply of pizza gave them strength.

"Alright, alright! I will do the job," Bowser finally concluded. "But we must wait for the right moment, when their guard is down… And I know just when."

The criminals huddled together as the giant turtle dragon explained his thoughts. They all agreed that he had picked the right time to go.

"This is very crucial," Ashley said in an ordering tone. "We CANNOT afford to miss this opportunity. I will find out more from Rosalina when we meet again. Hmph, foolish girl. She doesn't suspect a thing."

The villains cheered and prepared to celebrate their inevitable victory. In the midst of the excitement, Ashley was able to sneak away. The little girl made her way to the room Bowser allowed her to lodge in. She entered and locked the door behind her. She couldn't let the others hear.

Out of nowhere, a little devil creature appeared in a puff of smoke. "Hiya, Ashley!" Red greeted. The little girl rolled her eyes. "Red, I wish you wouldn't make so much noise," she condescended.

Ashley then approached the bed. "Why are you helpin' these guys again?" Red asked.

"It is the perfect opportunity."

"For what?"

A pause. A small smile grew on the witch's face. "You'll see," was all she said. Red tilted his head in confusion, but knew not to ask anymore. Ashley was quite temperamental. One wrong question and the little creature would be her next test subject.

Ashley reached under the bed and pulled out a small box with a pink bow on top. "What's that?" Red questioned, forgetting his question limit rule.

"A gift."

"From?"

"Rosalina, of course."

"Why would the princess give you a gift?" Red asked, immediately regretting it afterwards. Ashley looked at him with an evil glare. "You ask too many questions, Red," she said with a cold tone. Red slumped to the ground, fearing for his well-being.

Ashley commenced opening the box. She looked inside and immediately knew luck was with her. "What are those?" Red asked as he peered at the present. Ashley smiled wickedly. Oh, how easy that fool princess just made things.


	12. Chapter 12

Time passed along, as time usually does. Rosalina visited the prisoner more frequently now. The two talked about any subject. Rosalina tried to learn more about him, but he tried harder now more than ever to not give an inch. It made the princess feel empty, almost incomplete. In return, Waluigi tried to find out more about her. She told him the basics of her story, but kept many important facts secret. Being used to being left out, the villain was surprised by how isolated he felt.

It was at this time that Toadsworth had Waluigi, now sporting an unattractive amount of facial hair, hang up signs around the castle. They read: "ROYAL BALL in one week." The villain rolled his eyes. Who would be interested in this mushy love stuff?

As if on cue, Waluigi got the answer to his question in the form of a green-clad plumber. Luigi paced down the hallway, nearly knocking the prisoner over. Apparently, Luigi was very nervous about something. Or someone.

For years, Luigi and Princess Daisy had been good friends. But something changed. The plumber began looking at her differently. He got more nervous than usual around her, their conversations now being filled with awkward silences. When she was sad, he was sad. When she was happy, he was ecstatic (on the inside). Yes, Luigi had found himself in love with the princess, but was too afraid to admit it. He lived a life full of rejection and misery, and just could not take the inevitable laughing in his face from the one he loves.

So as the plumber walked back and forth, practicing his invitation for Daisy to the ball, Waluigi grew more annoyed with each passing verse. "Hey, pipe down!" he called out, but Luigi didn't hear him. That, or he was just ignoring him.

And that's when Daisy appeared. Fear clutching his chest, Luigi quickly made his way to another hall. Confused, the princess wondered why her friend would run off like that. Did she offend him in some way? Did he not want to be friends anymore?

Daisy sighed and began to leave. Waluigi looked and saw Luigi peering at the princess from behind a wall. Pathetic. Then the prisoner got an idea. He dropped all his work and forced Daisy to the wall. "Hey, babe, what say you and me go someplace quiet, huh?" he demanded. Daisy struggled for freedom, but the prisoner was much stronger. "Let go of me, Waluigi!" she ordered. The villain did the exact opposite and moved in closer. "Come on, sweetheart, you know you want me!" he said.

"Let go of me!"

"Just one smooch, babe."

"No! Let go!"

"It's time we moved things to the next level!"

Then Waluigi felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and was instantly greeted with a fist to the stomach. The villain slumped to the floor in pain as Luigi took Daisy to safety. The two ran to the next room. Brushing off the pain, Waluigi walked in front of the door to hear them.

"Thank you, Luigi," Daisy said. Then Waluigi heard a conversation. He heard laughing. He heard nervousness. Then there was a pause. Luigi asked something. Another pause. "Of course I'll go with you, Luigi!" Daisy answered with utter excitement. Walugi sighed, shook his head, and got back to work, unaware that a certain other princess had just witnessed the whole scene.

After completing his work, Waluigi went back to his cell without hesitation. He crawled into bed and was preparing to sleep when he was greeted by Rosalina. "What?" he asked rather harshly.

"I saw what you did up there," the princess replied.

"Yeah, well, don't bother lecturing me about how I should go apolo-"

"I think it was sweet what you did for Luigi."

Waluigi sprung up out of the bed instantly. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Who said I was doing something for him? I was just making my move on Daisy," he defended. Rosalina closed her eyes and moved her fingers delicately across the bars. "You know, I can usually tell when someone is lying," she countered. Waluigi stumbled over his words for a few moments, then gave up. "His nervousness was annoying me, that's all," he admitted.

"Anything you say, Waluigi."

There was a long pause. Rosalina looked to the ground, as if she was unconfident about something. "Waluigi," she started, "what do you plan on doing on the night of the Royal Ball?"

The villain scratched the back of his head. "I don't know. Probably sleep, I guess."

"I do not think that is possible."

"And just why not?"

"Princess Peach has already made it clear that attendance to this ball is mandatory for all residents of the Mushroom Kingdom."

Waluigi threw his arms into the air as he walked one circle around his cell. "Well, that's just great! Now I gotta go to this party that doesn't want me there anyway! Just my luck!" he ranted. Rosalina looked away. "I suppose I will see you there," she said before walking away.

Waluigi sat thinking for quite a while. Forcing someone to attend a party. That was just ridiculous! Then a thought hit him. It made him scared and nervous. The fear hit him hard as he made this realization.

"I NEED A SHAVE!"


	13. Chapter 13

Waluigi still couldn't believe Toadsworth let him go get a shave. It was probably because the old fungus wanted everything to be professional at this ball. Nothing could be out of place, or it would be disastrous.

Two guards accompanied the man into Toad Town. His hands were shackled and the guards spoke soft and carried large sticks. Waluigi didn't have a chance of escaping. All he'd do was get shaved and immediately return to the castle. Nothing more, nothing less.

The group walked to a rather dark part of Toad Town. Most other barbers were closed in observance of Mushroom Day. All except one, that is. The barber shop was located on top of a rather peculiar eatery. A strange location, yes, but business was business. Waluigi didn't care. As long as his face would become less hairy, he would've taken a shave from a Blooper.

The guards unshackled Waluigi's wrists. They waited outside as the prisoner made his way up the stairs and opened the door. A Toad was standing in front of a mirror, quickly putting on a grey coat. The barber was rather pale and had one white spot on an otherwise completely black mushroom head. He was panting slightly, but soon composed himself.

"You, uh, you the barber?" Waluigi asked. The Toad bowed slightly. "Of course, sir. And may I say, it is an honor to receive your patronage," he answered. Waluigi raised an eyebrow. An honor? Finally, he was getting some respect!

"Look, I don't have much time. I need a shave. It's important," the villain said. The barber nodded and beckoned Waluigi to the chair. He pulled a cover over the customer before mixing the lather. Waluigi relaxed. It was good to pamper himself every now and then.

His relaxation was interrupted when the barber started whistling. "Hey, stop that!" Waluigi demanded. The Toad gave him a weird look, but listened. The shaving cream was put on Waluigi's beard. "You know what, go ahead and whistle. It's kinda nice," the customer said. The barber started up again, but soon started singing under his breath. Waluigi couldn't hear much, but made out words like "friend" and "enjoy."

"Hurry up!" the criminal ordered. Soon a razor was at his chin, gracefully removing his beard. Waluigi closed his eyes. He opened them again and looked at the barber. For some reason, the Toad's eyes kept darting back to a large trunk in the corner of the room. "Um, what's in the, uh, the trunk?" Waluigi asked, rather unconfidently. The Toad snapped out of his distracted state. "Nothing, sir, nothing. Shall we proceed?" he assured. By now the barber was singing loud and strong. The passion he gave started to scare Waluigi.

"A-are you almost d-done?" he asked nervously. The barber smiled evilly. "Oh, yes, sir, we're almost finished here," he answered before walking over to a large window. "Pretty women. Is there anything better?" he asked.

"Come again?"

"The one thing every man enjoys more than love. Do you know a pretty woman, sir?"

"I-I don't feel comfortable answering that."

"ANSWER ME!"

Waluigi sunk into the chair. "Okay! Yes, she's very pretty. Very nice, too!" he replied quickly. The Toad grinned mischievously. He went to his tools and pulled on a pair of fingerless black gloves. "Oh, isn't it ironic that you are here again?" he asked.

The customer looked around. Had he been here before? Not that he knew of. "Um, do I know you?" he asked. The barber glared at him for the longest time before answering. "I suppose you could say that. You knew the old me, yes. But the years have changed me, no doubt. Years spent in prison under a false charge."

Waluigi began shaking in fear. What was going on?!

The Toad pulled out his biggest razor and swung it wide, ready to attack. "Revenge is mine, judge!" he screamed.

Waluigi looked up suddenly. "Judge? I'm not a judge."

The Toad stopped himself immediately. "Y-you're not?" he asked.

"Of course not! I'm Waluigi, you idiot! Who did you think I was?!"

The barber tilted his head, utterly confused. Then he put two and two together. "Oh, my god! I am so sorry! I thought you were someone else. This could've gotten very ugly if you hadn't told me. I am so sorry!" he explained. Waluigi panted heavily, fear getting the best of him. "I'm outta here!" he screamed before hopping out of the chair. He was halfway to the door when the barber stopped him.

"Hey!" he said. Waluigi turned to face him. "Y-yes?" he asked. The Toad walked up to the man. He brought Waluigi down to eye level and held a razor to his throat. "Forget my face," he ordered. Waluigi nodded quickly before running out of the place.

Despite the near-death experience, the barber did his job well, leaving Waluigi's face completely smooth, other than his infamous moustache. The prisoner returned to the guards. "Alright, let's go," one ordered. Waluigi held out his hands for the guards to shackle again. They were just about to when a Hammer Bro. rushed past them. "Hey, isn't that the guy we've been hunting down for six months?" one asked the other. The two rushed after the suspect, completely forgetting about Waluigi.

The villain was all alone. There was no one around to stop him. He was home free.

The guards chased the Hammer Bro. for hours. "You'll never catch me alive!" the criminal bragged, never slowing down. The guards were getting tired. They stopped for a moment to catch their breath, then instantly continued the chase. Soon the Hammer Bro. ran straight into a dead-end. The hunt was over; the guards finally caught him. Then they remembered Waluigi.

The guards, with the Hammer Bro. on a leash, rushed back to the barber's shop. They didn't have any time to lose. When they got there, they dropped their jaws, completely stunned at what they saw. It is at this time that it is advised for you to stop reading, hug your loved ones, and brace yourself for the shock coming straight at you. Are you ready? Okay, here it is…

Waluigi was still there.

Yes, the villain hadn't moved an inch since the guards left him. He was leaning against a wall, hands in pockets, casually whistling to himself. The guards shook their heads in disbelief. They approached the purple-clad foe in confusion. "Oh, you're back. Come on, let's go already," Waluigi said, holding out his hands to be shackled. Still in shock, the guards shackled him and led him back to the castle. They were completely and hopelessly confused.


	14. Chapter 14

Princess Peach oversaw all the work. From the first brick laid down to the last, she made sure everything was done right. It was about time they finally sealed off the InfiniPipe. That thing had been nothing but trouble from the day it first appeared.

As an added measure, the princess insisted the Toads try to break down the newly built wall surrounding the pipe from all sides. They tried ramming it, throwing Bob-ombs at it, kicking it, smashing it, insulting it ("You pathetic excuse for a wall! You couldn't stop a Blooper!"), but nothing worked. The barrier would not break, not even in the slightest. This pleased Peach. She couldn't help but feel a sense of pride once the roof went on top of the whole thing.

This entire project took one week to accomplish. The InifiniPipe was, after all, the largest warp pipe in the Mushroom Kingdom. The whole thing made Peach forget all about the Royal Ball. She had less than six hours to get everything ready. It was at this frantic time that Peach forced Daisy and Rosalina to help her choose a dress.

"For corn's sake, Peach, just pick one!" Daisy pleaded two hours into the process.

"Well, I like this one, but this one says 'Look out, Mario, here I come!'"

Rosalina couldn't help but feel distracted during the whole thing. Her mind strayed away more frequently in the passing week. She couldn't help it, no matter how hard she tried to stay focused. It wasn't normal. How could she allow herself to be so-

"Well, Rosalina?"

Rosalina snapped back into reality. "Come again?" she asked before remembering why she was there. Peach was holding up two new dresses. Rosalina studied them quickly. "That one," she finally suggested. Peach looked at it, then grinned happily. "Yes! I do believe this'll do!" she cheered.

"Finally!" Daisy said. "Now that you're done trying to bore me to death, why don't you tell us how Mario asked you out?"

Daisy didn't really care about this story, but she knew her friend was dying to tell it. It would just be rude to deny the Mushroom Princess some fun.

"I thought you'd never ask!" she said with delight; "Well, there I was, enjoying a beautiful sunset in the Royal Garden, when it happened. A giant, pink hot air balloon rose in the distance. I gasped as it began to turn in my direction. There, painted on the balloon, was a giant picture of my face. The hot air balloon landed right in front of me. Mario sprung out of it with a bouquet of flowers. He smiled at me and asked the question."

"Did you say yes?" Daisy asked sarcastically. Peach rolled her eyes. "Of course, silly!" she answered. She and Daisy giggled. Rosalina looked at them, feeling left out of the joke. Maybe it was because she never really had such a nice gesture done for her. Oh, well. She had been in outer space for hundreds of years, after all. It's not like there was anyone to do something for her.

"But Daisy, I hear you also got a date for tonight," Peach teased. Daisy's face instantly turned red. "Well…" she started.

"I knew it! I knew you and Luigi were meant to be!"

"Hold your horses, Peach! It's just a Royal Ball, not marriage," Daisy defended. "And yet…"

"Ooh! Daisy!" Peach cheered. They giggled to each other as Rosalina's thoughts took her away. If she followed her emotions more often, one could say she was bored.

"Oh, but I heard about what Waluigi did to you," the Mushroom Princess continued. Rosalina sprung back into attention. Daisy looked away, clearly uncomfortable. "Yeah, well, I could've handled myself," she said calmly.

"Well, I know that. You are so much stronger than him, Daisy. Why didn't you knock him away?" Peach inquired.

"Wouldn't want to break your roof, Peach. Besides, scum like Waluigi aren't worth it."

"I suppose you're right. Hmph, the nerve of that guy. He's so sleazy."

Both princesses nodded, then started laughing. Rosalina felt uncomfortable as her friends chatted. "I suppose we'll just have to put up with him for the remainder of the month. After all, it's only a few more days. When he's gone, we'll have a big celebration," Peach added.

Daisy laughed. "Yeah, I know I'm not gonna miss him."

Rosalina rose. "If we are done here, your Highnesses, please permit me to return to my work."

Peach and Daisy looked at each other, then back at Rosalina. "Um… Sure, I guess," Peach said in confusion. Rosalina thanked her before exiting to her Observatory, not to be seen again until the Royal Festivities of that night.


	15. Chapter 15

It was a who's who of a gathering at Toadstool Castle. Anyone who was anyone was there, ready for the night they had all been waiting for. It was all elegant, the men in suits and the women in fine dresses. The guests all swarmed into the ballroom for, well, the ball. The room, the largest in the castle, was beautifully lit by a huge chandelier and was spacious enough for all the couples to move around.

Toadsworth stepped forward, adorned in his finest clothes. He cleared his throat as he approached a microphone. "May I have everyone's attention?" he asked. The room quieted down. "Thank you. I'd like to welcome you all to the 436th annual Royal Ball here at toadstool Castle."

The crowd cheered, then quieted down. "Yes, thank you," Toadsworth continued. "It is on this night that we celebrate another successful year under the wise leadership of the Royal Toadstool Family. So now, please help me in introducing our guests of honor. First is Miss Daisy, princess of Sarasaland."

The crowd cheered even louder as the princess entered from the main doors. She wore a beautiful strapless orange evening dress and her usual white gloves. Her feet were adorned with the finest footwear in all the land, hand crafted by specialized cobbler Toads. On her head rested a whimsical tiara made just for the occasion. Her entire wardrobe carried a beautiful floral design that enhanced her beauty.

"Joining her tonight is Master Luigi of the Mushroom Kingdom," Toadsworth announced. The crowd clapped slightly softer as Luigi made his way to Daisy's side. He wore a fine silk suit, green cummerbund, white gloves, and a dark green necktie. His hair was done in such a way that it shined in the light. He extended his elbow for Daisy to take as they walked toward the audience. Toadsworth chuckled to himself as Daisy gave him an excited thumbs up.

"Next, we have Princess Rosalina, watcher of the cosmos and protector of the Lumas."

Once again the crowd applauded as the princess entered the room. She wore a beautiful sleeveless aqua-blue dress, sparkling like the stars. She also had on elbow-length gloves and blue heels that matched her eyes. She made her way forward, a bit downtrodden that she was alone in a crowded room.

"And now, last but most definitely not least, we have our very own Princess Peach, heir to the Mushroom Kingdom throne."

Peach stepped forward and the room immediately quieted down in sheer awe. The princess wore a fine pink dress, adorned with beautiful patterns. Her hair was beautifully styled in a way that made her innocent face twice as gorgeous. She wore no gloves, but rather a gold bracelet on her right wrist, given to her by her father. Her tiara shimmered in the light, almost like a halo above the stunning angel.

The room went into an uproar of cheers. Princess Peach blushed slightly. Although she was a ruler, she still experienced stage fright.

"Joining our princess tonight is our favorite plumber, Master Mario," Toadsworth continued. The short man appeared, wearing the most elegant apparel in the entire Mushroom Kingdom. His suit was fine pressed and his moustache was meticulously combed to perfection. He wore a red vest and matching bowtie. His gloves were the purest white and his shoes were the darkest black. He took his place next to Peach as they joined everyone.

Toadsworth smiled and thanked everyone again for coming. He hobbled away to make sure the guards were well prepared for anything.

The party went on as any royal party usually does. The guests mingled, light snacks were served, and Toad did his world-renown Mario impersonations. Everyone was having a good time. Well, almost everyone.

Rosalina sat at a table, not paying attention to any of the festivities. She was outright depressed. She didn't understand why, but she knew the ball was missing something. Or someone.

Yes, that was exactly it. Not everyone was in attendance. Where was Waluigi? She told him that Peach made attendance mandatory. He must've decided that he just didn't care. He didn't care about the party, the consequences, or even her…

Toadsworth looked onto the party, pleased at his well-done job. His pride was interrupted when someone tapped his shoulder. His head turned, but no one was there. He felt a tap on his other shoulder. He turned again, but once more, there was no one. Agitated, Toadsworth turned back. When he did, he saw a hand holding a note card for him. He took the card and turned to properly thank the person, but no one was there.

The old mushroom man cleared his throat as he approached the microphone once more. He began to read the card. "'Here to pay his respects to the guests of honor, I introduce to you the Baron det Walu,'" he read, then did a double take. "The Baron det Walu?"

His confusion was cleared up when the room darkened and a spotlight shined on the door, where a tall, thin man was standing, his back to the crowd. He turned and revealed his face, leaving the audience in shock. There, in a fine black suit, was none other than Waluigi. He wore a purple bowtie and a vest in a lighter hue. In his pocket was the most red rose one has ever seen. On his head was a tall top hat, adding to his already incredible height. For an evil monster, Waluigi looked good. If there was one thing he took seriously, it was formal wear. That, and corn chips. He took his corn chips VERY seriously.

As the villain made his way into the room, the crowd fluttered with gossiping whispers. They all seemed to be insulting Waluigi. He didn't care. He had heard their opinions of him before, and at this point the knew how to tune them out. To him, the room was in silence as he approached Rosalina.

"Go on! As you were!" the man barked at the people. They immediately forgot about him and continued as if nothing had happened. Rosalina stared at Waluigi, her mouth open slightly. "Waluigi," she started, "you came."

"Of course I came. You said this party was mandatory."

"Huh? Oh, right. Now I remember. It is just that… you clean up so well."

Waluigi gave her a humble smile. "Thanks," he said. He took a seat next to the princess. He looked around the room in a way that suggested he didn't want to be there, but was curious about it at the same time. He listened to the music. Classical stuff. The villain could appreciate it, but it just wasn't his style; it was too slow.

"Excuse me, princess," he said as he got up. Waluigi headed straight for the band, made up entirely of Toads. The composer, a sinister-looking Koopa with blue hair, was conducting with almost too much passion. Waluigi tapped his shoulder. "My turn," he said as he shoved the conductor away.

Waluigi grabbed the composer's stick and tapped the stand. The Toad band looked at him in confusion, but were ready to play. The villain raised his arms with great force, signaling the band to play with a great crescendo. Waluigi continued to move his arms at a fast pace. The Toads played fiercely, sweat streaking down their faces. The violin Toad got it the worst, as Waluigi made him play at ferocious speed and passion. The resulting music was rather fast, but actually quite decent. After a few minutes of fun, the criminal ended the song on a high note. The moment he finished, the violin Toad slumped in his chair, grabbed the bottle sitting next to him, and drank to his heart's content.

Waluigi returned to his seat next to Rosalina. She just stared at him, once again surprised by his actions. "I did not know you could do that," she commented. The man smirked. "I know a thing or two on music," he said proudly. Rosalina turned away for a moment. She was trying to hide her face, but Waluigi could see her perfectly. Her mouth was curving so that its ends were higher up on her face. She also made a soft noise. Waluigi was stunned. Not only was Rosalina smiling, but she was also laughing.

Rosalina rose. She insisted Waluigi join her in conversation with the other guests. The man reluctantly followed, feeling more comfortable at the table. Luckily for him, the two did not get a chance to talk to others. The band started playing a slow song and the guests danced close with their partners. Rosalina watched all the beautiful grace. It was truly an art. She turned to Waluigi. "It is your turn," she said.

Waluigi just looked at her. "What?" he asked.

"It is your turn."

"For what?"

"To have the spotlight."

"I don't follow."

Rosalina took his hand and put it at her waist. She looked at him. "Then lead."

Finally getting it, Waluigi smiled coyly. He took Rosalina's hand in his and the two waltzed onto the dance floor. They stepped in rhythm to the music. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. Of all the couples dancing, these two stole the show.

Waluigi looked around the room. No one seemed to be paying attention to them. So much for having the spotlight. Then he looked at everyone. Toadette rested her head on Toad's shoulder as they danced. Luigi was sitting at a table with Daisy, the former of the two being extremely anxious. Mario and Peach were dancing in the center of the room. Peach had quite the height advantage over Mario, but he still managed to lead with ease. The two stared into each other's eyes, seeing the world within them. There was no doubt about it, they were meant to be.

Soon this couple waltz their way next to Rosalina and Waluigi. "This is a wonderful Royal Ball, your Highness," Rosalina complimented.

"Thank you, Rosalina. I'm glad you are enjoying it," the Mushroom Princess said. "And Waluigi… Well, criminal or not, I suppose I'm glad you decided to come."

The man tilted his head in confusion. "Wasn't it a rule that I had to come?" he asked. Peach chuckled. "Of course not! I would never force someone to attend a party. That's just ridiculous!"

Told you.

Peach and Mario danced away, leaving Waluigi more confused than before. He looked at Rosalina, who was trying to avoid his gaze. "But you told me attendance was mandatory," the villain said. Rosalina's face seemed to turn red. "Yes, well, that I did. I, um, I can explain. You see, um, I…"

She sighed, realizing her little ruse had been revealed. Waluigi had figured it out. "So you lied to me just to get me here?" he asked. Rosalina looked away, ready for the man to yell at her. Instead, he started laughing. She looked at him in confusion. "So you are not mad?" she asked.

"Mad? Why would I be mad? A guy like me can appreciate a dirty, lowdown trick like that. Besides, it means…"

"It means what?"

"It means you… wanted me here."

The two gazed into each other's eyes. What they felt at that moment… Well, it would be foolish to even try to explain. All that needs to be said is that for once, neither of them felt alone. Rosalina moved in closer, acting on her instincts for the first time in her life. She closed her eyes as she pressed her lips against his. Waluigi was stunned at first, not quite realizing what was happening, but soon he eased into it. He closed his eyes and returned the action, holding the princess close to him. Time seemed to stop. The world disappeared. All that mattered at that moment was Waluigi and Rosalina.

Then they pulled away from each other. They stared at each other, trying to make sense of what just happened. It was too much for Waluigi to take in at once. "Excuse me," he said as he ran out of the room, leaving Rosalina standing alone on the dance floor.

Waluigi ran out onto a balcony overlooking the Royal Garden. He removed his hat as he began pacing in circles, trying to calm himself. Did that really just happen? No, he must be dreaming. No, it did indeed happen. And he was glad it did. But why?

"Okay, Waluigi, old boy, it's gonna be okay. It is going to be okay. But why me? Oh, man."

His thoughts consumed him, making him fear more now than he did in his entire life. He couldn't make sense of it. What was this feeling? And why did it choose him to hit? Could it be that someone actually cared for him? Impossible. He was Waluigi, the sneakiest, most devilish man in the entire-

"Hello, Waluigi."

The man turned with sudden fear. Coming out of the shadows was none other than Bowser. "It is good seeing you again, old friend," he greeted.

"We've never been friends," Waluigi retorted.

"True, but we have been teammates. And we need your cooperation now more than ever."

"Teammates? Yeah, right! If we were teammates, then how come you haven't tried to break me out of this nightmare, huh?"

The Koopa King grinned, bearing all his sharp teeth. "It was all a part of the plan," he answered. He approached the man with frightening calmness. The reptile put a cold claw on Waluigi's shoulder. "Listen to me, boy. Our new plan is nearly complete. We just need one more thing," Bowser explained. Waluigi raised an eyebrow. "And just what would that be?" he asked.

"The wand of Princess Rosalina."

Waluigi's body tensed. "C-come again?" he asked.

"You heard me. And we need you to get it."

"Wah! Why me?"

"You live here now, Waluigi. You have easy access to it."

"Okay, but do I have to take the wand? I mean, I could get you Peach's crown or barrel-loads of jewelry or somethin' else-"

Bowser roared, silencing the tall man immediately. "No, we must have the wand! You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

"O-of course not! It's just that…"

"Well?"

"It's just that Rosalina keeps that wand on her at all times. I mean, how am I going to get it, huh? I'm stuck in that dungeon at all hours."

Bowser laughed. He forced Waluigi to sit down on a nearby bench. "You don't fool me, Waluigi. I have eyes in this castle. I know how close you are with this princess, how she always stops to talk to you. You practically have as much access to that wand as she does. I'm sure you'll find a way."

Waluigi looked up at the vile monster, then sighed in defeat. "Alright, I'll do it," he barely said. Bowser smiled. "Good," he said. He then kneeled over and lifted Waluigi's pants leg slightly, revealing the ankle bracelet. "Two days, Waluigi. You have two days," he specified before snapping off the monitor with one claw. He hid it in a bush before disappearing into the shadows once more.

Waluigi needed a moment to take in all that had happened. Soon he heard someone calling his name. He turned and saw Rosalina approaching him. "Waluigi, why did you run away like that?" she asked. The man couldn't look her in the eye. "I-I just needed some air," he replied quietly.

Rosalina looked at him intently. She brushed some hair out of his eyes. "It's alright, Waluigi, I understand. I'm just as nervous as you are," she said.

"Y-you are?"

"Of course. I've never done anything like that before, and now I am wondering if I went too far."

Waluigi touched her arm meaningfully. The two stared into each other's eyes once more, still feeling what they had felt earlier. No words were needed; their eyes spoke for them. They embraced each other before standing up.

"Come, let's go back to the party," Rosalina suggested.

"Alright," Waluigi agreed, fearing for the time when he would lose her trust forever.


	16. Chapter 16

The day after the ball, Waluigi awoke feeling like he did when he had Dungeon Disease. Of course he had to betray the one person who liked him. It seemed he wasn't allowed to have anything.

Knowing there was work to be done, the man hid away his thoughts as Toadsworth came to unlock the cell. "Alright, Waluigi, you only have a few more days here in Toadstool Castle, so don't do any idiotic things to mess it up," he warned. Waluigi rolled his eyes. Two months went by faster than he had expected. Yet they seemed to slow down every time that annoying old mushroom made an appearance. One thing was for sure, Waluigi would be GLAD to be rid of him.

Toadsworth instructed the man to sweep the ballroom. He went straight there and soon realized how bad the job was. The remains of the prior night's festivities had left it an utter mess. Litter engulfed the floor to the point where small hills started to form. Waluigi groaned and began sweeping. The moment he did, one garbage pile began shaking. Waluigi took a defensive pose, but soon calmed himself when Toad popped out of the mess. "What a night," the mushroom man said before falling back asleep.

Waluigi shook his head. He swept for what seemed like an eternity. When he was finally done, he was about to tell Toadsworth. But then he remembered the plan. He had to get that wand.

He quietly made his way out of the castle. The fresh air was nice, but now was not the time to enjoy such things. He looked around. No one there to catch him. Soon he spotted Rosalina's Observatory resting just beyond the castle boarders. Good thing Bowser removed that tracking device. Waluigi approached the spaceship. He tilted his head as he began to wonder how he was going to get in.

As if to answer him, the door began to open. Frantic, Waluigi quickly hid in a nearby bush. He watched as Princess Rosalina stepped out to the beautiful day. She closed her eyes and let the soft breeze brush her hair. She then began to make her way to Toadstool Castle. Waluigi couldn't stop staring. She was so beautiful and pure. This was the woman who trusted him and cared for him, and now he had to kill that trust. It made him sick to the bone, but he had to do it.

The tall man slipped inside just as the door was about to close. He looked around. There seemed to be a cosmic theme. It was strange, but Waluigi liked it. He crept through the halls, checking each room along the way. Nothing. This was going to be very difficult.

Soon nearly every room was checked, and Waluigi still hadn't found that wand. He approached the next room with anxiety. He opened the door and found a large library. It was slightly smaller than the one Toadstool Castle had, but it was still quite impressive. Waluigi couldn't help but wonder where Rosalina got all these books if she had been in space for nearly all of her life.

Shrugging off the thought, the man continued his search. He checked under a large chair, on top of the bookcases, and even behind books. Still, he found nothing. He stopped for a moment as a particular book caught his eye. It was a navy blue, medium-sized book. There was nothing special about it, but it somehow made Waluigi quite curious. He opened it and soon discovered it was Rosalina's journal, keeping track of all the knowledge she acquired over the years. It was full of helpful facts like "Lumas are innocent star creatures that can transform into other forms," or "The secret to unlocking the transformation ability is in Star-Bits, colorful little star food that taste like honey."

Waluigi continued reading, hoping to learn more, when he came across a particular page. On it was a picture of a little girl, who strongly resembled Rosalina, crying. The passage next to it read: "I'm alone. My Momma's gone. I have the Lumas, but I'm still so alone."

Waluigi couldn't take it. A tear came to his eye as he closed immediately turned the page. The rest of the journal was more facts. Except for the last page. To the man's surprise, on that page, staring back at him, was a drawing of himself. Next to it were the words "I will solve him."

The man didn't know what to think of it and decided to put the book back. This mission had been a failure; he did not find the wand. Sighing to himself, Waluigi felt utterly lost. Then he heard a noise. The door was opening. Game over. Waluigi was caught

When the door opened, the man was slightly relieved. Instead of it being Rosalina, it was a little Luma, looking slightly confused. "Who are you?" it asked.

"None of your business," Waluigi returned coldly.

"Is that so, Mr. Waluigi?"

The man froze. Rosalina must've told these star things about him. "Get lost," he ordered. But the Luma moved closer. Its eyes seemed to be getting angry. "Stay away from our Momma," it commanded. Waluigi looked at it in surprise. "What?" he asked.

"You heard me, you idiot."

Now Waluigi was getting angry. "Look, kid, you better-"

"No, I think you better listen, fat head. You think you're good enough for our Momma? Please. You're not good enough for the ground she walks on. You're a pathetic, cheap loser who will never amount to anything, so just get lost."

Waluigi's face turned red. He clenched his teeth and grabbed the Luma with great force. "You listen to me, you little brat! I ain't gonna take any mouth from a little star, got that?!" he screamed. The Luma tilted its head and began to laugh. "You don't scare me. You wanna know why? Because you are a failure in life who thinks people actually like him. But in reality, we're all just laughing at the worthless wonder that is Waluigi," it returned.

That was the final straw. Waluigi began shaking the Luma violently. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" he shouted; "I WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE A LIVING-"

"That is enough."

Waluigi and the Luma turned their heads to see Princess Rosalina standing at the door, wand at hand. She placed it on a nearby shelf. "Momma! Momma!" the Luma called out as it floated to her side; "Momma, that bad man broke in here and starting yelling at me for no reason."

"WAH?! That's a lie!" Waluigi claimed. Rosalina looked at him, then at the cowering Luma. She left it for a moment as she walked up to the man. "No one, and I mean NO ONE, attacks my children," she said in a harsh tone.

Waluigi couldn't believe what he was hearing. "That thing isn't telling the truth!" he urged.

"Oh? Then what are you doing here?"

Now it was game over. Having no answer to give her, Waluigi looked down in shame. "That is what I thought," Rosalina said in disappointment. She pointed at the door. "Get out," she ordered with the coldest tone possible. Waluigi stumbled over his words for a moment. "But, Rosalina-"

"I said GET OUT!"

He had no choice. Slowly, he began dragging his feet to the door. Once there, he looked back at the princess, who had her back to him. "I thought you said you can tell when someone's lying," Waluigi said.

"Lumas don't lie," was the response.

Anger began boiling over in Waluigi. He looked at the shelf where Rosalina placed her wand. Not thinking twice about it, he grabbed the wand and quietly made his way out.

"There, there, Momma," the Luma comforted, not noticing Waluigi's action; "It'll all be alright soon."

Rosalina nodded, a single tear moving down her cheek. She left the room silently, leaving the Luma all by itself. Its eyes became red. It was engulfed in green light as its shape started to change. Soon the Luma had morphed back into a familiar little girl. She checked the shelf and was pleased when she found no wand.

Ashley pulled a walkie-talkie out of her pocket. "It's done," she said.

"Excellent. Now it begins," Bowser's voice came from the other end.

Ashley put the walkie-talkie away and reached into her other pocket, pulling out what looked like colorful candy. She looked at them and smiled. Those Star-Bits Rosalina gave her really did the trick. She counted them. "Just enough," she said to herself when she finished. She put them away and clenched her wand. She chanted a spell and instantly teleported elsewhere.

Waluigi was stomping off to Bowser's castle, just slightly calming down. He was deep in thought when the Koopa King came out of a nearby bush. "Waluigi, my boy, you've done well," he congratulated.

"Whatever," was the downtrodden response.

Bowser put a claw on the man's shoulder. "Oh, cheer up, Waluigi. You did the right thing. She never really cared for you. To her, you were just a puzzle to be solved. And when she finally did, she was done with you. Believe me, Waluigi, emotions are worthless and only hurt us in the end. Now come, there's work to be done."

The began walking to the Koopa's castle. Waluigi took one last look and Toadstool Castle. He shook his head. Now was the beginning. The beginning of the end.


	17. Chapter 17

It was over before it even started. It wasn't meant to be.

Casting her feelings aside, Rosalina walked to the tree on the hill. She had promised that peculiar little girl that they could meet that day. What the child wanted the talk about was anyone's guess. Rosalina really didn't care. Anything to get her mind off of what had just happened.

The princess did not wait long, for the little girl appeared almost instantly, carrying with her that stuffed rabbit of hers. "Good morning, princess," she greeted. Rosalina merely gave a pathetic wave as a response. Seeing as the princess was not going to start the conversation, the child continued. "Um, thank you for the gift."

"You opened it, then?" was the lame response.

"Oh, yes. Star-Bits are quite delicious. But I'm not going to start shape-shifting, am I?"

"No. That requires a touch of magic. To normal children such as yourself, they are harmless," Rosalina answered. An awkward silence filled the air. The princess looked away, trying to hide her face from the little girl.

Acting innocent, the child tilted her head. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No, I am fine," Rosalina said half-heartedly. She sighed heavily as she sat down in the grass, holding her knees close to her. The little girl moved a little closer. "Are you sure? Did something happen?" she questioned.

"I do not want to talk about it."

"You can tell me, princess. We're friends."

After a moment of thinking, Rosalina decided to share what had happened, starting at the Royal Ball. As she explained, the little girl clutched her stuffed rabbit close to her body, listening intently. "Wait, you and Waluigi… kissed?"

"That's right."

"Well, then what's wrong?"

A pause. Rosalina thought long and hard about how she should word this. She didn't want to bother the child with these adult problems. But at the moment, she needed someone to listen. The princess looked to the ground. "We had a fight," she finally said.

"What about?" the girl asked. Rosalina looked up at the sky for confidence. "He broke into my home and started attacking one of the Lumas," she answered.

"Really?" the girl said, sounding almost _too_ curious.

"He claimed the star was lying, but that cannot be. Lumas are honest creatures, incapable of harming another living-"

"Bullpucky."

It should be noted that the child said something else entirely, but, seeing as this is a K+ story, it doesn't need to be restated.

Rosalina looked up at her in shock. "What did you say?" the princess asked.

"You heard me, you pathetic excuse of a ruler."

Now the princess couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was this the same child she was talking to a minute ago? It couldn't be.

"You're so much of an idiot," the kid continued, "you didn't even realize that you were being used. Those freak-of-nature stars are evil and selfish monsters. They took you away from your family and forced you into slave labor!"

"Stop," Rosalina said softly.

"Why? Can't handle the truth? Is it so hard to believe those _things_ aren't as precious as you make them out to be?"

"Please stop."

"No. You can't hide from the truth forever, princess. Those Lumas are murderers. They took you away from your poor, pathetic mother, and that broke her heart."

Rosalina covered her ears and shut her eyes. "Stop, stop, stop," she begged, but the child wouldn't relent.

"Your mother is dead because of those Lumas. They _killed _her. YOU killed her!"

"STOP!" the princess shrieked. Tears streamed down her face as she clenched her teeth. The child gave a sly grin and pointed her rabbit at the ruler. The toy opened its mouth and began sucking in red energy from Rosalina's body. It was as if the rabbit was feeding on her emotions.

Pulling away the stuffed toy, the child scoffed. "Well, I'll give you this, Rosie, the Lumas aren't to blame for everything. You managed to drive away Waluigi without them," she said. Rosalina looked up at her in confusion. The little girl pulled a Star-Bit out of her pocket, ate it, and instantly turned into a Luma. "Momma, momma! That mean man is hurting me!" she mocked.

Rosalina rose as the child turned back into her original form. The ruler's heart sank. "You monster," she whispered.

"I'm not the monster here. I didn't push away the one person who cared about you. YOU did, your 'Majesty.'"

"You awful child! You planned this from the start!"

"Wow, I guess you're not as dumb as I thought."

Rosalina screamed to the sky in a deadly combination of sadness and rage. The little girl pointed her rabbit at the princess once again and let it feed on the negativity. Then it hit Rosalina. "My wand," she said to herself.

"It's long gone by now, princess," the girl said in a maniacal tone. Rosalina shook her head in fear as more tears raced down her cheek. "What have I done?" she whispered before running off.

The child smiled wickedly as she watched the poor fool run. There was nothing that ruler could do now.

In the midst of the girl congratulating herself, a familiar little demon appeared at her side.

"That seemed kinda harsh, Ashley," Red said in concern. The witch shrugged nonchalantly. "Bowser wanted me to make sure she wouldn't interfere with the plan, and that's what I did," she replied matter-of-factly.

"Okay, but did you have to use the bunny? That didn't seem fair."

Ashley looked down at her toy. Its eyes were glowing red from the energy it had stored up. The witch looked in the direction of the Mushroom Kingdom, looking more cold than ever before.

"This is war, Red," she said; "_All_ is fair."


	18. Chapter 18

The silence pierced the air. It was quieter than anyone could ever imagine. The sky turned red as black clouds started to form. The storm was coming.

From the distance, the sound of marching killed the silence. Over the horizon they came. Dozens upon dozens of Koopas, Goombas, and other nasty creatures made up the army. They stomped with striking concentration and determination. Above them flew the Paratroopas. Leading that formation in his Clown Car was their dark master, the king of the Koopas.

Miles away, Princess Peach watched as the army approached. Luckily for her and the Mushroom Kingdom, Rosalina made it just in time to warn everyone. The Mushroom army quickly prepared themselves for battle. The formation of warriors created a wall in front of the castle. They were ready to sacrifice their lives to protect the land they loved.

Peach moved away from the window, anxious over the inevitable battle. She intently made her way down the hall when she ran into Toadsworth.

"Your Majesty, we are ready for anything!" he claimed.

"I'm not sure, Toadsworth. Why are they coming straight at us this time?" she asked. The old man merely swatted away the question. "Now is not the time for doubt, princess. We are at war!"

Back outside, Bowser's minions were a mere running distance from the castle. The Koopa King raised his claw into the air. His army stopped in their tracks immediately. The palace guards watched carefully, ready to defend. The opposing sides continued on like this for quite some time. The silence was excruciating. You could hear a pin drop.

Bowser looked over his army. They had trained especially for this day. His gazed moved on to his "generals," which here is a big word that means the henchmen he has been working with the entire story. Junior tagged along with the red-shelled Koopas, who were wheeling in a Bullet Bill launcher. Wario was at the front of the pack. He carried no weapons, for his sheer strength was enough. Ashley stayed close to the Koopa King; her power was not one to waste early in the game. Mona was… well, she was there. Yes, everyone was accounted for.

But wait. Where was Waluigi? No matter. The plan was strong enough to carry on without him.

Bowser lowered his hand. His glare intensified as he gave out the command. "CHARGE!"

And in an instant, the battle had begun. Wario barged right past the guards like the bulldozer he was and went crashing through the front doors. Many a Toad and Pianta tried to follow, but they were all overwhelmed by the sheer strength of their attackers. The battle raged on for what seemed an eternity. Koopa after Koopa were tossed away, eventually defeated. Unfortunately, for every Koopa taken down, two guards were defeated. This pleased Bowser as he flew high into the sky.

Inside the palace, Toadsworth and Peach were quickly escaping to the safe house. They were just in reach of it when a sudden thud shook the very ground beneath them. They struggled to regain balance, and when they did, they saw Wario blocking their way. "Hello, princess," he said as menacing as he could. Peach and the old man tried backing away. This pleased Wario. He stomped towards them, taking time to enjoy the moment. They had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Bowser's plan was working perfectly.

Looking down at the fiasco outside, the villainous master couldn't help but laugh maniacally. But then he realized something. The Mushroom Army was actually beating back his minions. Impossible! It was too early in the game for him to lose. Bowser looked down to a certain witch, who was merely standing still among all the havoc. She looked at him with a chilling calmness. Bowser merely nodded; she nodded back as a response.

Ashley pulled her wand out of her sleeve. The sphere at the top of it began to glow eerily as she waved her arm. Pointing the wand at the opposing fighters, she blasted them with a sapphire beam of energy. The warriors went flying in every direction. Some got up and resumed fighting; many remained lying on the ground. Ashley had successfully wiped out half of the Mushroom Army in less than one minute.

Seeing as the battle showed no signs of stopping, Bowser flew the Clown Car closer to the ground. He took a deep breath before spewing fire at his rivals. They fled from his attack, though some took a direct hit. It was hopeless.

Inside the castle, Rosalina was sitting at a window overlooking the battle. Her eyes were closed, as she was deep in thought. Princess Daisy was running down the hall when she stopped at this room. "Rosalina, what're you doing?! Don't you see what's happening?!" she asked.

"What was meant to happen. There is no use fighting," was the forlorn response.

"What are you talking about?"

"I have lost all hope, Daisy. I have given up."

Daisy shook her head in disbelief. Oh, the things she wanted to say to her! The flower princess opened her mouth to do so, but instead let out a scream as someone grabbed her.

The intruder walked in. "Don't think I've forgotten what you did to my bike," he said. Not turning around, Rosalina lifted her head slightly. "Do with me what you must, but do not hurt my friends."

Wario chuckled as he moved in on her.

Bowser laughed at his success. The Mushroom Army had been defeated; they never stood a chance. Granted, most-if not all-of his minions were beaten as well. No matter, though. They served their purpose, and their actions would not be forgotten.

Wario returned with the princesses, their hands tied behind their backs. Toadsworth was completely tied up and gagged, Wario carrying him. One could only imagine the humiliation he felt. Junior laughed hideously as he scratched the old man's face with his razor-sharp claws.

"Good work, Wario," Bowser congratulated. The fat man polished his knuckles on his shirt in pride. At that moment, Mona ran up to him. "Wario, I don't like this. Look at all this pain!" she said. The villain rolled his eyes. "Who cares?" he responded before shoving her aside.

"This may look good for you now, Bowser, but you won't win!" Peach called out. The reptile guffawed. "Let me guess what you are thinking. I take you away to my castle, then a certain plumber and his awkward brother come and rescue you, and you bake him a cake as a token of gratitude, holding out what we all know he REALLY wants, and, seeing as all of evil is vanquished, everyone will live happily ever after until the next series of convoluted events? Well, that won't happen this time, my dear. I've got a little surprise for your knight in shining overalls."

As if on cue, the famous theme music started playing in the background. Bowser turned his head to see Mario and Luigi rushing from the distance. Peach and Daisy gasped in delight as their heroes sparked fireballs in their hands. Bowser smiled as well, but for much darker reasons. He pulled out a thin rod with a star on top. He pointed Rosalina's wand at the brothers. His eyes began to glow in a blue light as his weapon fired a beam of similar color at the Marios. They were instantly frozen in their tracks as the beams unnaturally twisted and contortioned their bodies. The Koopa King smashed them against the palace wall repeatedly before throwing them on the ground by the princesses. Bowser, Jr. rushed to them and forced them onto their knees, now at the mercy of their enemies.

"MARIO!" Peach exclaimed.

"LUIGI!" Daisy shrieked.

Rosalina watched as the two girls tried to move closer to the brothers, only to have Wario pull them back. Their pain was far beyond that of anything she had felt. Their connection to these men was thicker, and their pain caused the princesses agony.

Toadsworth finally managed to get the gag out of his mouth. "You horrible demon! You heartless creature of darkness!" he shouted to Bowser. Wario tightened his grip before throwing the mushroom man to the ground. "Shut your mouth, you pizza topping!" the man said as he stomped on the defenseless elder repeatedly.

"Wario, stop!" Mona urged. "This isn't fun anymore. You promised me no one would get hurt!"

"Well, you made the mistake of believing me."

"That's it! If that's how it's gonna be, then you can count me out. I'm outta here!" Mona said before running off in a huff. Wario was about to go after her, but Bowser urged him not to. "Let her go. Focus on the plan," he said.

The Koopa King then pointed the wand at Toadstool Castle. The beam fired changed the palace to his image. It was the new Bowser Castle. No. This was better. This was Bowser Kingdom!

All the villains laughed at their victory. "Finally! The Mushroom Kingdom is mine! This is the best day of my life!" Bowser exclaimed; "I am now ruler! You will all BOW before me! I am supreme-"

Before he could finish the sentence, a ball of raging fire collided with the foe with such great force, he was instantly knocked out of the Clown Car. The Koopa King crashed to the ground, dropping Rosalina's wand. It blasted a beam of light at the castle. Everything instantly turned back to normal. The skies turned blue and every cloud disappeared. The day was saved.

Groaning, Bowser looked around him. He was defeated? No. No! He roared to the heavens above. "Junior, I thought you were holding the Marios!" he shouted.

"But Daddy, I AM holding them."

Bowser turned his head. Indeed, the little Koopa still had the plumbers subdued. Both were unconscious. Then how…?

"They didn't launch that fireball, Bowser. I did."

The Koopa turned and saw Ashley picking up Rosalina's wand. She then floated up to the sky, overlooking everyone. "Ashley? But why? We won!" Bowser questioned.

"Why, you ask?" the witch started. "Because you aren't fit to run this kingdom. No one is! Because this kingdom is not fit to be run, nor any other kingdom, for that matter. This whole world is filled with impurity and it makes me sick! So now I'm going to cleanse it, by DESTROYING all the imperfections."

Bowser breathed in, ready to blast the child. Not missing a beat, Ashley fired magic blolts from both wands at the Koopa. He fell to his knees, unable to take the pain. As a precautionary measure, the witch blasted all the other figures as well. One by one they fell over in pain. Watching from afar, Mona witnessed the entire thing. She ran off in hopes of finding help.

Ashley summoned her magic cauldron in front of her. She pulled out the Star-Bits from her pockets. "Remember these, princess?" she mockingly asked Rosalina; "That which gives the ability to shape-shift into any form?"

She threw them into the pot before summoning her stuffed rabbit, its eyes still red. "All that negative energy you had earlier, Rosie. Tisk, tisk. You really should learn to control your emotions," she taunted. The witch squeezed the rabbit's stomach, making it regurgitate the negativity in the form of glowing red liquid, into the cauldron.

Ashley lifted the two wands over her head. "By the dark powers of the world, I command you to do as I so decree! Obscurum, capere mihi! Devolvat vestris malis!"

Her eyes glowed with unspeakable power as the wands blasted the cauldron. The combined magic created a lethal combination. The cauldron shook and rumbled. A white light shined from it. Ashley smiled, having received the desired results.

"No! Don't do this!" Rosalina called out.

"Too late, princess. Checkmate."

Ashley floated higher, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She lowered herself into the cauldron. Its white light disappeared. The world was still. The ominous silence experienced earlier returned, now ten times stronger. The group anxiously waited, unaware of what would happen next.

Then it happened. The cauldron rumbled once more as it began cracking. The white light shone through as a loud growl started up. Soon the pot shattered into a million pieces. The group looked up in shock. There, where there once was a little girl called Ashley, now was a giant monster.


	19. Chapter 19

Mario and Luigi awoke slowly, continually opening and closing their eyes. Dazed, they looked around. Everyone seemed to be focusing on something in the sky. The brothers looked up, immediately realizing the horrible fight they were in for.

The creature that was once Ashley glared eerily back at the bunch. Its head resembled that of a cat's, with larger, more sharpened ears. Its eye sockets, instead of having eyeballs, were filled with fire, the same for its mouth. The monster's muscles threatened to tear through its skin. On its fingers and toes were sharp, black claws. Standing up straight, it was slightly taller than Toadstool Castle's tallest tower. Indeed, it was a scary sight.

The Mario brothers hopped back onto their feet, summoning fireballs. Mario threw his at the beast with blinding speed. As the flame hurled into the sky, the monster seemed to smile. It stuck its left arm out and crushed the fire in its hand. It cackled slightly.

The creature dropped to the ground, knocking everyone off their feet. It immediately went straight for Toadstool Castle and began slashing at a tower, doing considerable damage. The group scrambled to avoid falling debris. Bowser, relying on pure instinct, tried blasting the beast with more fire. Of course, it had little to no effect. With one swift motion, the monster lifted its foot and kicked the Koopa King away the length of two football fields. Dazed, the reptile struggled to get back on his feet.

The rest of the group blindly attacked their enemy, but all in vain. Nothing they did had any results, only making the monster angrier. Rosalina watched, utterly stunned. She stood perfectly still, watching her friends (and Wario and Bowser) risk everything.

Growing tired of the trivial nuisance, the monster pointed its hand to the sky, instantly releasing an entire hoard of demonic gargoyles. The demonic minions circled in the sky, making buzzing and screeching noises, before swooping down for the attack. One grabbed Toadsworth and flew him high into the air. The old man shrieked for help, fearing his life had come to a tragic end. Mario responded with a well-placed fireball, hitting the bat directly in the face, temporarily stunning it. The moment made the demon lose its grip, and soon the mushroom man was plummeting to his doom. Luckily, Mario was there just in time to catch him. Toadsworth was frozen in fear, unable to respond.

Despite this valiant effort, the creatures soon became too much to handle for the bunch. Princess Peach was panting as she looked around for a safe place to retreat. "Quick! To the gardens!" she called out to everyone. They all followed her, barely dodging more falling debris as the boss monster roared ferociously. As Rosalina did so, she noticed something on the monstrosity's shoulder. A red bump protruded from it, and inside was Rosalina's wand.

The group hid in one of the deepest sections of the hedge maze. "Is everyone here?" Peach asked. Everyone looked around. Yes, everyone was accounted for. They all were tired and in pain. Bowser stared off into space, still in shock that his plan had failed.

Peach looked around. She could see the suffering in everyone's eyes. She sighed. "Alright, we have to remain-"

"WE'RE ALL GONERS!" screamed Toadsworth, prompting Luigi to slap him. "Yes, right, um, thank you, Master Luigi. I needed that."

"Okay then," the Mushroom Princess continued; "We can't let that thing destroy the kingdom. It's up to us to stop it. Does anyone have any ideas?"

Mario opened his mouth, about to suggest something, when Rosalina began speaking. "The creature has a weak point on its shoulder. A red bump. Inside of it is my wand. If we can stall the beast long enough, one of us should be able to retrieve it and give it to me."

"Its weak spot is a big red bump? That's ridiculous! What kind of lazy idea is that, to have a weakness so painfully obvious?" Wario asked. An uncomfortable pause as everyone looked around at each other.

"But Rosalina," Daisy started up, "after you get your wand back, what exactly do you intend on doing?"

Rosalina looked down. "Whatever is necessary," was all she said.

The beast roared with great anger, nearly complete with the tower and ready to move on to the next. It seemed hopeless, yet the group began formulating a plan.

Miles away, the sight of the Mushroom Kingdom was quite an atrocity. The dark clouds once again filled the red sky as the monster could easily be seen destroying Toadstool Castle. It was painful to watch, but quite easy to ignore. At least, this could be said for the one lone figure who was walking away from it.

Waluigi marched solemnly in the opposite direction of the Mushroom Kingdom, not quite sure where he was going. All he knew was that he needed to get away from this place. One thing was for sure, he would not be missing it.

He was a great distance away from the source of his pain when he heard a sort of buzzing noise coming from behind him. He turned his head and saw something coming at him from the distance. It traveled at frightening speed, screeching as it drew closer and closer. Waluigi tried to dodge it, but was unable to. The man took a direct hit. The shock nearly killed Waluigi, and it startled Mona as well.

"Waluigi! Hey, I found ya!" the woman cheered as she got off her scooter. The man in purple merely groaned as a response. Mona moved her vehicle to the side. "Come on! Ashley's snapped and wants to destroy the world! We gotta get back to the Mushroom Kingdom!" she urged as she grabbed Waluigi's hand and tried to lead him back.

The man snarled as he took his hand back. "I ain't going back there!" he growled.

"But don't you see what's happening? They need you!"

"Um, no, they don't. They got the Marios."

"Don't you see that giant thing attacking the castle? The Marios aren't enough!"

"Forget it! I'm never going back there again. I couldn't care less about what happens to it."

Mona backed off for a moment as she stared at Waluigi in disbelief. She was at a loss for words. Finally, she came to the realization that he wasn't coming; he truly didn't care. "Alright, Waluigi. You've made your point," the girl started; "But I hope you know what you're doing. Innocent people are getting hurt. Lives are gonna be lost. And you don't care. Well, fine. I hope you can live with yourself knowing you coulda' helped. Well, I'm not gonna just stand by and watch. No, I'm goin' back."

"I'm not just standing by and watching. I'm leaving, not even watching."

"Yeah, you hold on to that sense a' humor. It's the last friend you got."

Mona got back on her scooter. Waluigi turned away again, remaining perfectly still. Mona looked towards the Mushroom Kingdom with determination. "Don't worry, Peach, Daisy, and Rosalina. I'm comin'."

And with that, Mona shot off like a flash. Waluigi took one last look at the kingdom, thinking of what could have been.


	20. Chapter 20

The group slowly made their way out of the Royal Garden, carefully trying to not make a sound. They saw the monster and its minions still attacking Toadstool Castle. The creatures hadn't noticed them yet. Good. If this plan was going to succeed, this bunch would need to stay alive as long as possible.

When they made it safely across the field, the group split up. Toadsworth ran inside the palace to make sure everyone was alright. Daisy and Peach ran in front of the Demon Cat while the Mario brothers and Wario went behind it. Bowser and his son took off somewhere else, awaiting their part of the plan. Princess Rosalina snuck off to the Observatory.

The princesses started to wave their arms in the air, screaming like ninnies. "Hey, ugly! You wanna destroy the world, you gotta go through me!" Daisy called out. The monster heard them and accepted the challenge. Just as it was about to crush the flower princess, Wario called out from the other direction. "Hey, moron! Come get me!" he said. The beast turned around, ready to strike.

"No! Take me, you big meany!" Peach said. The Demon Cat turned once more.

"Hey, I was talkin' to ya!"

The beast turned.

"Come on, you big balooka!"

"What're you waiting for? Fight me!"

"No, me!"

"No, me!"

"Me!"

"ME!"

The creature roared in frustration, obviously fed up with this nonsense. It snapped its fingers to summon more gargoyles. The minions rushed for the six and snatched them into the air. Three gargoyles needed to work together to lift Wario. The winged beasts flew the cluster of people to be at eye level with the boss monster. It glared at them with its hollow eyes. It raised its right paw, bearing its deadly claws, The demon laughed satanically, ready to kill its prey.

"Excuse me."

The beast turned its head. There, standing at the horizon, was Princess Rosalina, joined by an army of Lumas. The Demon Cat tilted its head. Rosalina remained silent as she pointed her finger at the abomination. The Lumas charged without hesitation. They rushed to the beast and its lackeys, quickly overpowering them. The gargoyles dropped their prisoners, who were floated safely to the ground by a few stars. The Lumas continued their assault on the Demon Cat with no signs of stopping. For a short while, it looked as though the star creatures would win.

Then the beast got angry. It swung its arms wildly in the air, taking out a good portion of the Lumas. The stars fell as Lucifer fell; they fell in flames. Rosalina felt a sharp stabbing in her soul as she watched the horror. The adopted mother was upset, but not worried. She knew that, while the Lumas did fall, they did not end. They would survive and, more importantly, carry on.

As the giant monstrosity was distracted by the stars, a familiar aircraft rose into the sky. The Clown Car hurriedly flew behind the beast. Bowser and Bowser, Jr. found the large red bump on the creature's left shoulder. The older Koopa took a deep breath in before spraying the weak point with a shower of scorching flames. The Demon Cat screeched in pain. The noise was enough to make anyone go deaf. But the Koopa King didn't relent. He kept blowing fire at the spot until it finally burst. Rosalina's wand went flying in the air. Junior maneuvered the Clown Car into position. Bowser reached out and caught the wand.

"Give it here," Rosalina called out from below. Bowser panted as he stared at the wand. The power it contained was beyond explanation. The Koopa King looked down at Rosalina, then back at the wand. The power. Yes. The power…

"What are you waiting for? Give me my wand," Rosalina ordered. Bowser shook his head, getting out of his strange trance. The Demon Cat was starting to recover, and it was angry. The Koopa King saw no other choice. With one great throw, he launched the wand down to the princess before flying away from the monster's sudden attack.

Rosalina caught her wand and instantly felt the power rush through her body. She waved her tool majestically through the air as she cast her spell. The princess began growing and growing until she was the size of the monster. It stared at her in utter shock. Rosalina stared in a calm rage. She knew it was partially her fault that this evil creature came to exist. She was to blame. It was her fault that everyone was in this mess.

Which meant it was her responsibility to end it all.

The princess punched the Demon Cat in the stomach, sending it back a few steps. It roared in fury, ready to attack. Rosalina pointed her wand at it, blasting the creature with blue energy. The monster went tumbling backwards. Its minions watched in sheer fear as it got back up. The beast looked around at its demons. With a wave of its arm, the beast banished the creatures once again to their own devilish home. The Demon Cat wanted Rosalina all for itself.

The boss sprinted at the princess and tackled her with great force. The impact shook the ground, knocking the others off their feet. The beast was about to slash Rosalina's face when Bowser came flying by and blasted its face with fire. Seeing this attack more as an annoyance, the monster swatted the vehicle down to the ground. Bowser and his son went tumbling out of the Clown Car, somewhat wishing they had just kidnapped Princess Peach again instead of going through with this idiotic "grand plan."

The distraction was enough for Rosalina to throw the Demon Cat off of her. The two locked hands and began a struggle to overpower one another. Rosalina stared into the monster's fiery eyes. It was nothing short of pure evil. But wait. What was that? There was something in the fire. It was… It was a little girl.

Yes, the princess could clearly see Ashley twisting and turning inside the fire. The child clenched her teeth and contortioned her body. She was in pain. Terrible pain. "Help… me…" she softly begged.

Rosalina couldn't let the child suffer. Not thinking twice, the princess reached into the Demon Cat's eye socket and took the flames on directly. She created a magic barrier on her hand to avoid serious burns, but she still felt immense pain. Finally, she pulled out the child, who was now unconscious.

The monster screeched in pain as it clutched its eye. Getting over the pain, the monster slashed Rosalina across the torso, making her bleed through her dress. The princess screamed out in pain as she began shrinking. Soon she was back to regular size, Ashley in her arms, as the beast laughed horrendously.

Ashley began to open her eyes. She breathed heavily while in a dazed state. Then out of nowhere, Red magically appeared at her side. "Hiya, Ashley! I-"

That's when he saw the giant monster. The sight left him speechless. "A-Ashley?" he finally said. The little girl looked up at the beast, who was roaring in great anger. The child stared in true fear. "What have I done?"


	21. Chapter 21

The Demon Cat growled softly as it looked down upon the young witch. The whole experience was quite surreal for her. A moment ago she had just cast the spell. Everything went black for a while, and now she was face to face with what she thought she was supposed to become.

Wasting no time at all, the monster raised its foot to stomp out the child. Still dazed, Ashley sat there with wide eyes, unaware of the impending doom. At the last second Red grabbed her and teleported her to a safe spot with the rest of the group.

The beast roared into the sky. It had decided to forget about demolishing the palace for the moment. Right now it wanted nothing more than to destroy this meddling group of colorful characters. It smiled ominously as it targeted its next victim.

Rosalina was lying on the ground, fighting to stay awake. The wounds on her torso were gushing out blood, far too much than any normal person could handle. But Rosalina was not normal, now was she? With her last bit of strength, she waved her wand near the area of the wound. The bleeding stopped immediately, but she was still in immense pain. And if you were a giant, destructive demon of relentless evil, wouldn't you go after her?

The creature rushed for her with surprising speed. It slashed its arm through the air, about to strike her again. The attack would most likely have killed her, but Wario threw himself in the way and blocked the attack with his own strength. He was using all of his power to hold back the massive hand. No easy feet, to say the least. Rosalina looked at him with tired eyes. "Go already!" he ordered through clenched teeth. Daisy and Peach came and carried their friend out of harm's way.

Completely tired out, Wario couldn't hold on any longer. The beast slapped him across the field. Wario laid there, too weak to get up. The Demon Cat hovered over him with an eerily powerful force. It cackled with delight as it raised its foot for the kill.

"Hold on, Mistah W., I'm comin'!"

In a flash, Mona rode in on her scooter and grabbed Wario off the ground, just barely avoiding certain death. The Demon Cat was getting very frustrated. If it had regular eyes, it would be rolling them.

Mona got off her scooter and put Wario down on the ground. He looked around in confusion. "Mona? You… saved me?" he asked.

"Hey, us tough guys gotta stick together," she said with a playful punch on the shoulder. Wario smiled as Mona chuckled to herself.

"If the two numbskulls are done talking, we have a problem here. Remember, the giant monster?" Ashley said.

No one had noticed the child get up, or even come out of her dazed state. But she was all better now and back to her old self, no doubt. Well, maybe not her _old_ self, but still pretty close.

Ashley looked up at the monster with a stoic expression, clearly deep in thought. Her thinking was interrupted when Bowser grabbed her by her collar and lifted her to eye level. "You little traitor! How dare you go against the great and powerful Bowser and his flawless plan?!" he yelled.

"Testify!" Junior called out, now wearing a church choir robe.

"Put me down," the witch ordered. "You don't want to mess with a person who lives in a haunted mansion."

"I thought that was Luigi," Bowser said.

A pause. Ashley pointed her wand at the Koopa. "I will grant you," she warned. Fear striking him, the Koopa King decided that, for the sake of his well-being, it would be a good idea to put Ashley down.

"Now then," Ashley continued, "I know I messed up. I am regretting this roll of the dice now. But that doesn't matter right now. What matters is defeating that abomination. Any ideas?"

The group remained silent. They looked up to the Demon Cat, who went back to attacking Toadstool Castle. This thing was a giant threat that could not be easily stopped. None of their skills could defeat it. The only option would be to get rid of it somehow. But how?

"The InfiniPipe," Rosalina said weakly. All looked at her in confusion. "That pipe is large enough to fit that monster," the princess continued; "A-and no one knows where it leads to, right?"

"She's right," Princess Peach agreed. Then she remembered something. "Wait, we just sealed it off. There's no way we could destroy the barrier surrounding it."

The group sighed in disappointment. Ashley stared at the beast again as an idea came to her. "Maybe we can't break the barrier, but I bet it can," she said as she nodded her head to the Demon Cat. Everyone got the idea immediately.

The monster showed no sign of slowing down. It had finished destroying the third tower and was moving on when it felt something on its foot. The beast looked down and saw Bowser blowing fire at it. The Demon Cat roared as it tried to stomp down the reptile. It missed, but showed no sign of quitting.

As the creature chased the Koopa King, Ashley was waiting for her cue. Red floated next to her, uncertainty on his face. "Are you sure you know what you're doing, Ashley?" he asked, obviously frightened. Ashley rolled her eyes. "Of course, Red. Have I ever been wrong before?" she asked. The little demon opened his mouth. "Don't answer that," the witch warned.

Once the beast had made it into position, Ashley stepped out of the shadows in front of it. "Remember me?" she asked; "If I remember right, I was the main source of your power. Without me, you're just waiting to fade away."

The little witch hoped the monster would believe her lie. It apparently did, as it roared and tried to grab her. Ashley dodged and blasted it with her wand. The beast backed off a bit, but was soon coming at her again. Ashley floated slightly off the ground and quickly dashed away. The monster gave chase, though it was somehow not as fast as the child. Ashley led the Demon Cat in the direction of the InfiniPipe.

The witch zoomed past Peach and Mona, who were holding a long rope. "Now!" Ashley called out. The women pulled the rope up, tripping the monster as it came. The beast crashed down on the barrier surrounding the InfiniPipe, knocking out a few bricks. Peach cheered in delight as the demon shook off the pain.

Once the monstrous feline got back up, Ashley cast another spell. An image of the little girl's face appeared on the barrier, staring directly at the monster. It screamed as it clawed at the wall. Bricks went flying in every direction, nearly hitting the bunch. Soon the entire barrier was gone, only scraps of brick remaining. The beast panted as it continued trying to get rid of Ashley's smug face.

Ashley took advantage of this situation. She got Rosalina to her feet and walked her behind the beast. The two pointed their wands at the behemoth and fired away. The blasts had great power and nearly knocked the monster into the pipe. The creature grabbed the rims of the pipe in an attempt to keep from falling. Ashley and Rosalina continued their attack, but the princess was getting weaker. Her energy was fading. She finally gave out and fell to the ground.

The attack became intensely ineffectual with the sudden loss of power. The Demon Cat got up and headed toward Ashley. With a swipe of its paw, the creature knocked the witch across the field. It then targeted the rest of the group. One by one the monster took them out, though not killing them. It wanted them to see what it would do next.

The demonic abomination slowly approached Rosalina, who was still lying on the ground. The monster chuckled as the fire in its eyes intensified. It wanted to make an example of what would happen to those who opposed it. The princess got on her feet with careful hesitation. She panted hard as her legs desperately wanted to give out. The monster laughed again. Rosalina pointed her wand at the boss in a feeble attempt to take it on. She fired multiple attacks. They made the beast back up a bit, but did little besides that.

The monster shook off the blasts as if they were annoying insects. It screeched for no apparent reason before reaching for the princess with its incredible paw. It was over. The beast had won.

Then out of nowhere, a Bob-omb flew into the creature's mouth. It backed off as it choked on the projectile. Rosalina looked around in confusion. In the distance was a tall, lanky figure holding a tennis racket and several Bob-ombs. He ran closer and closer until the princess saw that he was wearing purple.

The Demon Cat looked on in confusion for a moment before it realized it had more prey. It howled to the skies before preparing for the kill. The tall man stood unfazed. In a split decision, he threw the Bob-ombs at the monster all at once. The explosion was enough to knock the beast back. It hit the InfiniPipe and began to lose its balance. Just one more hit would do the job.

Rosalina looked longingly at her savior. Then she realized that he was preparing himself for a head-on attack at the beast. "Waluigi, what're you- N-no, don't do this!" she begged. All of a sudden, the man grabbed her and kissed her passionately. When they finished, the man ran towards the monster. He jumped into the air and kicked the demon, sending it into the InfiniPipe and its eminent doom.

The man landed on the edge of the pipe. He panted slightly. He looked into the void, unsure of if the creature was actually gone. In an instant, a giant claw reached out of the hole. Soon two hands were grabbing the edge of the pipe. The Demon Cat was climbing back out.

Rosalina fell to the ground, unable to support herself any longer. The rest of the group watched in horror as the monster's head poked through the pipe. They wanted nothing more than to stop it, but they were all too weak to do anything about it.

Waluigi turned around and looked directly at Rosalina. The two stared into each other's eyes. The princess began shaking her head. "N-no. No. No," she said softly. But it was no use. Waluigi had already made up his mind.

The man jumped high into the air. "Waluigi, NOOOO!" Rosalina screamed at the top of her lungs. The man came crashing down on the monster's head. This made the creature lose its grip, and the two went spiraling into the hole. The usual teleporting noise was heard, followed by disturbing silence. Neither of the two were coming back out.

Slowly each person got back on their feet. It was over. It was finally over. They departed one by one until only Rosalina was left all by herself, crying into her hands.

**One chapter left.**


	22. Epilogue

The skies were blue once again. Construction began to repair the damages left on the palace's towers. Bowser and his minions disappeared into the dark shadows, waiting for the right moment for their next plan. Everything was back to normal.

Princess Rosalina stepped outside. She let the soft breeze blow past her face. She was one with her surroundings. The woman sighed softly.

Rosalina looked around. Luigi and Princess Daisy were having a conversation in the Royal Garden. Toad and Toadette were playing in a nearby field. Happiness. It spread over the castle like wildfire. Although she was glad for her friends, the happiness sickened Rosalina subconsciously. Her wounds had healed, but the emotional scars never did.

The leader of the Lumas stepped out of Toadstool Castle's front doors. She looked to the ground and shook her head slightly. The princess walked a few feet before she was stopped by a peculiar stranger in an even more peculiar hat.

"Excuse me, madam," he started, "I am looking for an old friend. Is there a Mr. Luigi around these parts?"

Rosalina nodded slowly. "He is in the garden," she answered halfheartedly. "What is it that you need from Luigi?"

"A little business is all, I assure you. You look rather sad, my dear. Is something the matter?"

The princess remained silent. "You wouldn't believe me," she finally said. The stranger left the conversation at that. He thanked the princess for her assistance and left her with a resounding "Ciao."

After the encounter, the princess headed for her Observatory. It was time for her to go. She had already spent far too much time on this planet. Her Lumas needed to be back in outer space. Rosalina looked at the Mushroom Kingdom one last time. She would not return to this planet for another century. By then, all of her new friends would be dead and gone. No. They would not be gone, for they would live forever in her memories. She would never forget.

The princess entered the Observatory and started it up. The vehicle floated into the air, shaking the leaves on the trees in the process. Rosalina looked out the window. Her friends had gathered and were waving goodbye to her. She would miss them.

Soon the Observatory was far away, and the planet had become a small speck in the galaxy. All was silent. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, though. It was actually quite calming. Rosalina stepped away from the window. She was about to start an inspection of the ship as a part of standard procedure. She was stopped when she finally noticed something that she hadn't before.

There, resting peacefully on the counter, was a rose of the deepest of reds.

The princess rushed to it. She picked it up and stared at it for the longest time. She didn't understand. Could it be…?

A tear came to Rosalina's eye. But she wasn't sad; she was crying from happiness. She looked upwards and held the rose close to her. She laughed slightly, knowing everything would be alright once again.

THE END.

**Special thanks to Swimmydimmy, whose constant support created the drive to finish this story.**


End file.
